KELLY SIMS Independent Community Advocate
WHAT MAKES A GOOD LEADER?
Capacity, Vision, Humility, Courage, Integrity, Ethics & Honesty
BE THE CHANGE
WHAT MAKES A GOOD LEADER?
Capacity, Vision, Humility, Courage, Integrity, Ethics & Honesty
BE THE CHANGE
I listen to & advocate for the community using evidence-based facts, best-practice ideals & genuine engagement.
I voted for council motions based on merit and were not influenced by partisan government parties, political bias, career-driven agendas or views.
What do you think of the
state of politics in Tasmania?
Placing the relevant value & dignity back into the role by giving respect to all along with undertaking critical reflection.
Supporting others to reach their full potential, acting transparently, fostering trust & advocating for the community with integrity.
Facilitating council & community needs while exploring strategic aspects & connecting key stakeholders meaningfully.
For their decisions while working with the community to promote better channels of engagement & advocacy for Glenorchy City.
Kelly is not only inclusive & intelligent, but also well travelled & ‘street‘ wise. She understands the theory behind the real job & has the courage to stand up to power-seeking careerist’s unlike most politicians today!
Bryan Dawe - Political Commentator & Comedian
1/2
Productive & Profitable Industry & Services
Societal & Housing Sustainability
Inviting, Safe, Responsible & Clean
I was a City Councillor for Glenorchy Tasmania for 5+ years, with over 20 yrs experience as a community & business leader across various sectors.
I have served on the Glenorchy City Council
Glenorchy Planning Authority,
Arts & Culture Advisory Committee
Glenorchy Youth Task Force &
Healthy Communities Advisory Committee.
My career includes working as a community development officer, education consultant, suicide prevention Tas networks coordinator, director of a large organisation, development manager for the largest private employer in Aus & CEO of an NGO. While facilitating professional development for the education sector & training adult qualifications in education, business and sustainable leadership nationally, I was internationally recognised as a leading academic for research contributions to one of the largest early childhood resource providers in the world.
I’m most widely known for statewide leadership within the mental health, sustainability, homelessness, community, education & adult training sectors.
A key example is when I led a statewide project credited with removing a national priority for early childhood education in the state of Tasmania in 2014. I achieved this by successfully overseeing a variety of projects such as training development, facilitation & resource provision tailored to empower key local leaders.
I have post-Tertiary qualifications in education, adult training, cultural competency, policy development & both small business & large organisational management. I have also worked as an events organiser responsible for over 13k attendees (TAS Autumn Fest), as a statewide project manager for the Mental Health Foundation Australia in 2020 & 2021 (MHFA) & directed a statewide animal advocacy/charity campaign.
My sister Sarah and I together also established the fast-growing and popular fb group
’Hobart Rooms To Rent’ back in 2016.
In 2020/21 I was appointed as the Mental Health Foundation Australia Tasmanian Project Officer & Statewide Ambassador. These roles saw me simultaneously support the state during the initial covid lockdown period by training staff at the Royal Hobart Hospital in mental health response & self care. I also organised, hosted & reported-on the National MHFA Homelessness, Crime & Mental Health Symposiums held in Tasmania October 2020 & 2021.
I’m the former chair of the MHFA Tasmanian branch & former board member of a local men’s shed organisation that I helped establish the overarching governance for. I’m honoured to state that the Claremont Mens Shed President at the time, whom I worked closely with (Marty Watkins) is also my political authoriser.
I’m currently working as the TAS Operations Manager
of a national education campus.
I’ve travelled the world & learnt a lot,
but have predominately lived & worked in lutruwita/Tasmania.
Some places I’ve explored are
USA
SPAIN
INDIA
NEPAL
THAILAND
SINGAPORE
SWITZERLAND
Go beyond kunanyi
Alderman Sims said, “If elected as Mayor of Glenorchy City Council I will work towards better community engagement, addressing safety concerns, immediate transport solutions, more responsible financial and environmental management.
A vote for the current mayor, is a vote for the same…
Alderman Sims plan focuses on:
Meaningful Community Consultation,
Working better with other Councils,
Lobbying State and Federal Government
Establishment of Precinct & Project Forums,
Economic & Environmental Development,
Safety & Social Issues
& Transport.
Considered, balanced and measured holistically using evidence-based
best-practice information.
Transport
Achieving a more realistic and timely answer for the growing traffic congestion in the area, by pinpointing more sustainable & user friendly solutions based on expert advice.
Ald Sims said, “Technology such as light rail is fast becoming old and out of reach. It has been 10 years of progress since this discussion commenced, 10 years arguably wasted due to what much of the community view as a ‘pet project’ and what I’d professionally call a massive oversight. The reason it’s been stalled is because its expensive and not robustly supported as the first choice by the State Government, nor most leading transport experts from all over the world who’ve assessed it in great detail. We need to act faster and work smarter both for, and with the community on transport, to drive more suitable and timely action for our local area.”
Community Consultation,
Establishment of Precinct & Project Forums
Working better with other councils
Ald Sims would also like to embark upon improving both social and ethical issues, as well as council communication and culture overall.
“By approaching our community with meaning, honesty and integrity, bringing them inside the fold and genuinely listening. We need to establish better ways for our community and the experts to be heard, meaningful consultation instead of leaders viewing engagement as a tool to tick a box.
By opening the mayors door, actually listening and facilitating better channels of communication for the community. Such as establishing more regular and robust ‘Precinct Forums’ that will foster trust, respect, and deeper relationships between all parties. Community Precinct Forums held in different locations of the municipality ensures everyone can engage in the decisions that impact us most.
This type of engagement model would greatly assist our staff and community to genuinely have a say and better identify local needs while addressing current objectives.
Working with neighbouring councils means getting more done and faster, not always prioritising cost savings or staff cuts. We have plenty of room to work smarter while also promoting shared thinking across the cities and towns using a much wider pool of skills. More bang for our buck is the plan, not less resources for those cities already lacking. Spend the savings on doing more not less. This action also promotes the State Governments Strategic Collaboration and Governance measures, while assisting to raise the standard for all involved.” Ald Sims said.
Economic and Environmental Development
Safety & Social Issues, and how it all links holistically
Ald Sims highlighted that,
“Our local community should not suffer because of the recent changes to our city.
We are moving forward and that's a fact we can’t ignore, but can drive better. The emergence of many new and major opportunities are currently knocking at our door - right now. This ‘Urban Renewal’ can be guided in an environmentally sustainable way that is opportunistic for all, and not just a perfectly timed gentrification for investors alone. Lets work together in holding all accountable for delivering the broader goals in our community, alongside assessing the new developments and what they can provide for our area socially and environmentally too.
Our rapid urbanisation of the city is in addition to climate change, housing shortage and serious safety issues. These barriers are highlighting new challenges to address that require a responsible forward plan capable of urban resilience.
Let’s link our community health agenda to our community space plans. A healthy city is a place where the community can access basic infrastructure and services along with public spaces in safety and comfort.
Another major neglected priority I note, is that we are currently in the early stages of planning the activation of the Elwick precinct and Showground more specifically, and are already in the process of developing most of the industry across the coastal area of our municipality. These are all major economic, environmental, social and investment opportunities that should already be thoroughly measured holistically and well-coordinated to drive positive outcomes for our city. This high level leadership and output is lacking under the councils current culture.”
In addition, Kelly believes that,
“We have the beginnings of a world class community-building, entertainment, sporting, recreation, industry and retail precinct under development right now and the investors I’ve met with want to work with us to give back to the community. Many of their calls to the current mayor have been left unanswered and many have ended up at my aldermanic door, knowing I can do little more in my current role. They are getting desperate and it’s not fair on any of us, the community more so, who are at the highest risk of missing out on the most now and into the future.
Council should be leveraging these aspects better while providing a whole of precinct vision that facilitates good governance and responsible leadership for all. This will help to ensure these local investments are driven to be more beneficial and user friendly for our grassroots community. Not only this, but to also avoid anti-social behaviour and the duplication of infrastructure/services, while assisting in the planning for better transport in the area.
It ‘s a fine recipe with top-quality ingredients that we as a community are very lucky to have delivered to our door. But if not followed through by the right cook, the community will be left chewing the bone…
A dusty rotten one they have dug up and buried many times before!
All of these ducks have lined up organically and bring with them the opportunity for a massive increase in local jobs. But it needs to be assessed properly and fast, without pet projects or career driven political bias holding us back.
We need real independent thinkers, leaders, not followers endorsed by those who arguably left us in this very position. People who listen, with fresh experience and modern understandings that can lead this wave of dynamic change with high-level integrity and honest conviction. Not those simply following in the footsteps of the past or who are on the political career path.
Take a look around you and compare our city with the neighbours, the grass is indeed greener. We do not need another 10 years of stalling our progress in the Northern Suburbs, we deserve better. It's time to move forward faster, & preferably up the currently wasted transit corridor.
It can be done, let’s do it together…
I will champion all of that and bring along the necessary drive, skills & experience needed for the role if elected as Mayor of Glenorchy City Council.”
End
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2022 Media Release: Alderman Kelly Sims, Immediate Release
+ Available for Interviews UR
Authorised by Martin Watkins, 1/4a Bilton Walk Claremont Tasmania 7011
Best known for media productions such as
The Castle, Clarke and Dawe Show & ABC Political Commentary/Comedy
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TASMANIA