Colourful Councillor Kahn Goodluck delivers warts and all farewell speech

A Central Qld councillor has not held back during his official farewell, warning the region to fight for its future.

The four words that will forever haunt Kahn Goodluck came not in his role as a deputy mayor or councillor, but as a father. Pic: Steve Vit

The four words that will forever haunt Kahn Goodluck came not in his role as a deputy mayor or councillor, but as a father.

The charismatic community leader revealed that difficult moment in an emotion-charged farewell speech at his final Gladstone Regional Council general meeting on Tuesday, March 4.

He was speaking about his achievements during his nine years as a councillor, but there was a high price to pay for the success he achieved.

It was the moment he and the mother of his children sat down to explain to the young kids why they had decided to separate.

“I will never forget that day,” he said.

Cr Kahn Goodluck at the official opening for the Boyne Island skate park and pump track in his first term.

“The anger and sadness in my kids’ eyes. My eldest daughter begging me not to go, promising me, ‘I’ll be good Daddy’ and telling me I could sleep in her bed.

“Her words, ‘please don’t go Daddy’, as she locked her arms around me tighter than I have ever felt before. Those words will forever haunt me.

“I was not equipped to explain to an eight-year-old, that it was not her fault. It was all I could do to hold her and tell her it will be all okay.”

While he acknowledged the many “complex nuances” in a breakdown of a relationship, the “irony” of the heartbreaking situation “was not lost” on him.

“For all the glory and triumphs from my hard work and success, I had paid a heavy price and sacrificed the very thing I thought I was fighting for,” he said.

Gladstone Regional Council (left to right) Glenn Churchill, Chris Cameron, Natalia Muzkat, Chris Trevor, Mayor Matt Burnett, Rick Hansen, Deputy Mayor Kahn Goodluck, Desley O'Grady and Darryl Branthwaite at the declaration, April 14, 2020.

But “fast forward” to today and the future for Cr Goodluck and his family is bright.

“I have met the most amazing woman that I am proud to call my fiancé Danielle,” he said.

“After a rather epic world-first proposal at an LGAQ conference here in Gladstone, a woman who fills my heart and soul with such love and joy, I can’t wait to start the rest of my life with her.

“The mother of my children is also happily engaged to a bloke who is a wonderful guy and great to my kids. My kids now have two loving homes and a happy life.”

Cr Goodluck said he was “many things” with “many flaws” but determined not make the same mistakes of the past.

“I am blessed to have learnt many valuable lessons at an early stage in life and I’m smart enough to take heed of them,” he said.

His career as a Gladstone Region councillor began at the age of 27 when he decided to take the leap from being a boilermaker into the flurry of local government politics.

Cr Goodluck possessed “a fiery passion for representing ordinary working people and a keen but little bizarre interest in public policy” and at the 2016 election he “just scraped into the last position at the 8th elected councillor.

Gladstone councillors Peter Masters and Kahn Goodluck will take part at a drought fundraiser at Calliope Roosters Rugby League Club.

He then set himself a goal to become deputy mayor at the next election.

His plan was to be the “hardest working councillor” for four years in the hope that the community would reward him at the ballot box.

His plan worked.

“It was a great honour to top the poll in 2020 and become the deputy mayor,” Cr Goodluck said.

“I haven’t checked the electoral history book but I suspect I may have been the first person to go from lowest polling position to highest in one single election election.”

He encouraged anyone with passion for their community to consider standing for council.

“If I can, you can,” he said.

“I recall when I first ran for council there were no shortage people telling me I would never make it.

“One gentleman proclaimed that I needed to work for at least 30 more years before I ran for council.

“I can’t count the times I was told I never ran a business what would I know?”

Cr Kahn Goodluck with Ruby, an eight year old bull mastiff ridgeback.

He admitted that when he first came to the council table he felt like an “imposter”.

“I wasn’t supposed to be here... but I didn’t care,” he said.

“You can be a tradesman or a nurse or a teacher, a labourer or any other normal person and you can represent our community with integrity honour and competency, because being a councillor and representing your community is not about business, it’s not about degrees and experience or how much money you have or how long you have chosen to live in a place you call home, it’s about people.

“It’s about relating to people, listening to people and bringing them on a journey, fighting for people and empathizing with people. it’s all about people.”

As he reflects on his nine years at council he does have “one big regret”.

“I never truly learned who actually loved Hannah,” he said.

That line refers to a story about someone who spray painted “I Love You Hannah” on about 20 council traffic signs across the city.

Cr Goodluck said at the time he was sure Hannahs everywhere were appreciative of the attention, but the cost of fixing the signs would land on local taxpayers.

Gladstone Regional Council Deputy Mayor Kahn Goodluck shared an image of a road sign that had “I love you Hannah” spray-painted across it in neon pink paint . The message had been plastered all over town at 20 or more other locations.

He also offering advice to the love-struck graffiti artist, suggesting other methods for professing his affection.

“I owe them (the mystery couple) a beer because of the amount of publicity I got out of that one thing,” he said to loud laughter from councillors and staff.

“I offered them a free meal but they never claimed it.”

Cr Goodluck said all jokes aside, the truth was, he has “zero regrets”.

“As for what I hope my legacy might be, it’s not in projects I have supported or ribbons I have sat next to the mayor that he has cut; it’s the many people I have helped over the nine years,” he said.

“Some of them being small insignificant things in the grand scheme of things, but they were big things to them.

“To the amazing people I have met and conversed with and heard their stories, the many people that have reached out to me over the recent week to say thank you, sent me a message, called my phone and some who even embraced me in their arms with a hug on the street, that is very much appreciated.

Councillors Glenn Churchill, Rick Hansen, Kahn Goodluck, Chris Trevor and PJ Sobhanian surround one of the new Surfers’ Code signs in Agnes ‘ater with Rachel, JD and Rory from Reef 2 Beach Surf School and Surf Life Saving Queensland's Lifesaving Services Coordinator Wide Bay Capricorn Julie Davis.

“It’s through those people I am entirely satiated with my time here at this place.”

During his speech, Cr Goodluck painted a grim picture of Gladstone in 2051 as a region that had lost its way by not grasping the opportunities around energy supply over the last three decades brought on by changing global economic demands.

He said that was not the vision he had for Gladstone, but was a possibility unless council continued to make the right and sometimes difficult decisions going forward.

“While politicians at high level of government will play politics and political point score, the burden of truth, facts and fearless conversations will fall to you who sit around this table,” he said.

“As the level of government closest to the people and most trusted, you are the gatekeepers of our community’s future.

“It will fall to you to have the keenest interest and greatest understanding of what is necessary for the Gladstone region’s success.”

Gladstone Regional Council Mayor Matt Burnett and new Deputy Mayor Kahn Goodluck in 2020.

Cr Goodluck said council had to be ready to have the toughest conversations with those who make decisions that “impact us”.

He called on councillors to be fearless in their advocacy for the right decisions to be made by state and federal governments.

“In a time where there is no shortage of leaders who choose to drive division, greed, selfishness you can chose to a leader who inspires compassion, empathy and a positive vision for our future,” Cr Goodluck said.

“You can choose to be a leader who listens to facts, proven science and economics and be fearless in your approach.

“There are so many leaders who take the path of populism today.

“This is not fearless or courageous, it is just more of the same and no one will remember their names.

“Great leaders do not bow to pubic opinion, great leaders forge public opinion, they do this by actuating a positive vision of a future that people want to be part of, by inspiring people to care for one another and by storytelling that resonates with the hearts and minds of those in our community.

“This will be your task and I want you to know I believe in you.”

Gladstone Councillor Kahn Goodluck has advocated for returning fluoride to the region’s drinking water.

Cr Goodluck said he had been privileged to have represented his community in many capacities, national news, national TV, on the floor of state and national conferences, in senate and select committee hearings of the Federal Government in the halls of parliament at local Anzac Day events, local community events across the region.

“I can honestly say I have always aimed to seize every opportunity gifted to me to speak in front of a group of people to try and inspire just one person,” he said.

He admitted there were times when he failed in that endeavor.

“But I like to think there were at least a few where I succeeded. “

“I encourage you to do the same. No one remembers boring politician speeches written by someone else and read word for word with no meaning or feeling.

The 2020 Gladstone Regional Council; Cr Glenn Churchill, Cr PJ Sobhanian, Cr Desley O'Grady, Mayor Matt Burnett, Cr Rick Hansen, Deputy Mayor Chris Trevor, Cr Kahn Goodluck, Cr Cindi Bush and Cr Peter Masters.

“Just one person, I always thought. If I can inspire just one person then I have made this moment in time worthwhile.”

He thanked friends and family, his mum and dad, brothers and sister, along with all of the people who had taken the time to help at polling booths, doorknocking and more.

“To all my council colleagues past and present, you all played a part in shaping me,” he said.

He thanked Mayor Matt Burnett for being “a great boss, not perfect, but pretty good”.

“You supported me from day one to be my own person, pursue my dreams and more than any of that, being a great mate.”

He finished by reading a quote from Maya Angelou that he placed at the top of his Facebook page when he became a councillor.

“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

“Thank you.”

Kahn Goodluck .

Cr Goodluck decided to resign from council in January, citing the personal and financial toll on him and also his loved ones.

“My children, my family and my friends who live in the region have all had impacts due to the public nature of this role. Over the last 12 months or so I have deeply reflected on what is important to me and how these impacts will continue to affect the people I love most, and it has led me to this decision. I have given all I can give at this time in my life, and I am excited for what the future holds as I continue on the path of my working life.”

Former Gladstone Region Councillor Chris Cameron, who served from 2020 to 2024, will replace Cr Goodluck.

He was the runner up candidate from the 2024 council election as declared by Electoral Commission Queensland.

Originally published as Colourful Councillor Kahn Goodluck delivers warts and all farewell speech