Councillors

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Background: Born and bred in the Bundaberg Region, Cr Pyefinch started her career as a nurse, graduating at Bundaberg Base Hospital. She was first elected to Local Government in 1994 and served 2 terms as a Councillor. In 2004 she was once again elected onto Council. In March 2008 Lorraine was elected the first Mayor of the new Bundaberg Regional Council and holds the Portfolio of Strategic Projects, which includes Economic Development and Tourism, Bundaberg Regional Airport Upgrade and Major Events.

Lorraine and husband Frank (a General Practitioner) have enjoyed considerable business success over the past 15 years in developing and supporting Medical Software products for Australian doctors. Lorraine has served on many committees and boards and currently sits on the Board of the Wide Bay Australia International Air Show. As well as her nursing qualifications, Lorraine holds a Graduate Diploma of Business Management and recently completed a Masters Degree in Management.

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Background: Cr Bush represents Division 1 covering Moore Park, North Bundaberg, Avondale, Yandaran, Winfield, Sharon & Burnett Downs.

Prior to being elected on Council in 2008, Alan was a past Councillor with Gooburrum Shire Council between 1988 and 1994 and Burnett Shire Council between 1994 and 2000.  He previously held the position of President of both the Avondale State School P & C Association and North Bundaberg State High School P & C Association, Primary & Secondary Schools Bus Committees, Member of Tegege Tennis Club and the Bundaberg Rowing Club.

Alan represents Council on a number of community committees, including the Irrigator Advisory Committee and the Bundaberg District Groundwater Area Advisory Committee.  He is also the portfolio spokesman for Water and Wastewater and is currently a member of the Moore Park Lions Club, Tegege Hall Committee, Avondale Football Club, Group Leader of the Yandaran SES and Officer of the Avondale Rural Fire Brigade.

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Background:Deputy Mayor, Cr Tony Ricciardi has been in local government since 1992, starting as a Councillor with Isis Shire Council and going on to be Deputy Mayor of Isis at the time of amalgamation in March 2008, where he was elected Deputy Mayor of the newly formed Council.

Tony was an avid rugby league player representing Maryborough and Wide Bay and has given freely of his time to coach junior teams in the Isis region for a number of years.  He served on the committee of the Childers Apex Club as president in 1986 and 1987 and remains a Senior active member in the Childers club.  He also sits on the Committee of the Forest View Aged Care facility in Childers. 

Tony is Council's representative on the Burnett Mary Regional Group for Natural Resource Management and is a second generation farmer.

Tony was born and educated in Childers, is married to Kath, has 3 sons and currently resides at beautiful Woodgate Beach.

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Background: Cr Wayne Honor is Councillor for Division 3, covering an area of 3749 square kilometres in the hinterland of Bundaberg Region. Wayne holds the portfolio of Roads and Drainage Infrastructure and is also a member of the Planning and Development committee. Wayne spent 4 years as a Councillor in the previous Kolan Shire Council, working in the area of Community Services and Finance. Before becoming a Councillor he was involved in a number of community committees including schools and agriculture.

His interests include community, art, sustainable farming practices as well as developing a Droughtmaster Stud cattle herd with his wife. He enjoys clay target and small bore rifle shooting. Wayne is keen to build on the achievements of Council to date and looks forward to contributing to the further development and prosperity of our culturally and geographically diverse region. 

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Background: Cr Wilkinson has had an extensive background in management, marketing, promotion and development including 17 years as Councillor with Bundaberg City Council (8 years as Chairman of Health and Environment Services) and 18 years in hospitality and shopping centre management. 

Mary has held many positions on community, local government and regional committees and is the Council representative for Division 4, which encompasses all the inner City of West, Central, some South, Milbank, and inner North and of course, the CBD.  Her portfolio is Health and Environment, which covers Health and Regulatory and Environmental Services.

Mary believes Council has achieved a lot since amalgamation and is very excited about the next 2-3 years.

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Background: Cr Greg Barnes was first elected to the former Burnett Shire Council in March 2000 and re-elected in 2004. In 2008 he was elected to the new Bundaberg Regional Council and assigned the Finance Portfolio.

Greg has considerable experience in the tourism industry having owned and operated a dive shop & charter boat business at Bargara prior to entering local government. He is President of the Coral Coast Chamber of Commerce & Tourism and the Chair of Bundaberg North Burnett Tourism.

As the representative for Division 5 Greg has a strong affinity with the coastal townships of Bargara, Innes Park North, Innes Park and Coral Cove. He resides at Bargara with Isobel, his wife of 32 years and they have two adult children now living on the Gold Coast.

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Background: Danny lives at Burnett Heads with wife Rhonda and both share an ambition to improve the quality of life across the Bundaberg Region.  Danny believes his Natural Resource Management Portfolio provides him with an opportunity of a lifetime to make a contribution towards a more sustainable regional future.  Danny believes our Council is working well in difficult circumstances and is excited by the opportunity available to this Council to create a solid platform of local government in this region.

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Background: Cr Sommerfeld was born and raised in Bundaberg.  He has more than 25 years experience as a Consulting Surveyor with 21 of those years being Principal of his own business and has been the owner of the West Bundaberg NewsMail delivery run for the past 8 years.

Ross has been actively involved in a number of community and sporting groups over the years and is a current member of the Bundaberg Croquet Club and a life member of Across The Waves Cricket Club.

He is married to Linda and has three adult children.

Ross represents Division 7 which broadly covers the airport, Svensson Heights, Norville and Thabeban.  Ross is Chairman of Planning & Development, a portfolio he finds most rewarding and closely aligned with his previous role as a Consulting Surveyor.  He says that although he represents Division 7, he is committed to the whole region along with his fellow Councillors.

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Background: Cr Batt is a third generation Bundaberg resident and is married with two daughters.  He has been a Police Officer for 20 years rising to the rank of Sergeant before being elected to his first term in Local Government. 

David has a “Diploma in Policing” as well as an “Advanced Diploma in Investigative Practices” and was the Manager of the Bundaberg PCYC for over 2 years before his successful election as the Division 8 Representative for the newly formed Bundaberg Regional Council.  David has a passion for Sport and Recreation in the local community and is involved in many local community organisations.

Division 8 covers a large area of the former Bundaberg City Council, including the areas of Avoca and Branyan within the boundaries of the Isis Highway and the Burnett River.

In his first term in Council David has the portfolio of Governance where he has been able to work hard on his election catchphrase “For Accountability”.  He is looking forward to the challenges that the amalgamation will bring and in being an active member of a hard working team that is passionate about making the Bundaberg Regional Council the envy of Local Government across Queensland.

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Background: Cr Judy Peters served as a Councillor on Bundaberg City Council from 1994 to 2008.  Elected in March 2008 as a Councillor for Bundaberg Regional Council, and now with 15 years experience, represents Division 9 and holding the Community and Arts Portfolio ‘ the people services part of Council’.  Judy is a member of a number of community groups , as well as serving in various executive positions.

Judy was elected Queensland President, Australian Local Government Women’s Association in 2006 and also holds the position of National Treasurer for the ALGWA National Board.  Judy was appointed as a Member of the Women in Local Government Strategy Group under the Minister for Local Government’s portfolio focusing on the role of women in leadership positions across the State as well as Bundaberg Regional Council’s representative on the LGAQ Social Reference Policy Group.

To keep her focus on the needs of the community Judy has undertaken a Diploma in Local Government (Administration), a Diploma of Business (Frontline Management) and has also undertaken a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment. 

Judy was recently included in the Who’s Who’s 2009 Edition – ‘Lessons we Learn’.

Judy has previously owned and operated a Shipping Services business for 11 years from the Port of Bundaberg and also held the position of Director/Deputy Chairman Bundaberg Port Authority for 14 years.

Creating opportunities for others to achieve, is Judy’s goal.

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Background: Cr Forgan is the representative for Division 10 covering the areas of South Bundaberg, Walkervale and Avenell Heights.

With the diversity of our region, it enables Lynne to work with a variety of organisations in her Portfolio of Social & Recreation, this includes Swimming Pools, Halls and Facilities, Showgrounds, Libraries, Moncrieff Theatre, Sport and Recreation and Museums.

Lynne, a qualified hairdresser is married to Gilbert and is a mother of 2 and a grandmother of 5, bringing more than 25 years business experience to Council. As a business owner, she understands all facets of business operation.

Lynne is actively involved in the community, having served on many and varied organisations and taken active rolls on committees, and holds a Certificate IV in Governance.

Current committee involvements - Police Citizen Youth Club, Wide Bay Volunteers, President North Bundaberg Lions Club, President of the Bundy in Bloom Combined Lions Street Carnival, along with being Council’s appointed representative on several committees.