Skills and Experience Matter
- adrian75739
- Sep 26, 2025
- 2 min read
It’s fantastic to see so many well-meaning candidates putting their hands up — that’s healthy for democracy. But passion, spare time, or a willingness to serve aren’t enough on their own. To be effective, councillors and mayors require real skills, including governance, leadership, business sense, critical thinking, and ideally, experience in local government.
You wouldn’t trust your health, finances, or legal matters to someone unqualified. The same logic should apply to those making decisions that affect you and your family every single day. So, skills and experience matter for councillors because the role is much more than just turning up to meetings or having good intentions. Here’s why:
Complex decision-making: Councillors deal with multimillion-dollar budgets, long-term plans (30 years+), and policies that affect infrastructure, environment, and community wellbeing. Critical thinking and governance experience help them make sound, balanced decisions.
Financial stewardship: Council is effectively managing a $200m+ organisation. Business and financial acumen ensure ratepayer money is invested wisely, debts are managed prudently, and future affordability is protected.
Governance and law: Councils operate under strict legislation. Understanding governance, compliance, and process avoids costly mistakes, legal challenges, and reputational damage.
Leadership and collaboration: Councillors are one voice around the table. Experience in leadership and teamwork helps them influence, build consensus, and contribute to a shared vision.
Community representation: The role requires listening to diverse views, weighing trade-offs, and advocating effectively. Previous experience in community roles helps a councillor connect authentically and translate needs into outcomes.
Strategic thinking: Councils must look decades ahead—balancing today’s pressures with tomorrow’s needs. Strategic experience enables councillors to assess risks, opportunities, and long-term implications.
In short, passion is essential, but without the right skills and experience, councillors risk learning on the job at the community’s expense. If you elect me, I will hit the ground running and be effective from day one.
Instead of listing all my qualifications, business experience and governance roles, you can find a detailed list on my LinkedIn profile below. I also possess a lot of 'soft skills' which are equally as important when dealing with people and situations.
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