Goulburn Mulwaree Council Mayor Nina Dillon welcomes general manager Scott Gallacher to his new role. St Saviour’s Cathedral is in the background. Photo: John Thistleton.
Agriculture and renewable energy projects need not be in opposition with one another says Goulburn Mulwaree Council’s new general manager Scott Gallacher.
Multi-million dollar solar farms are proposed for the Goulburn Mulwaree Local Government Area, and Mr Gallacher, who grew up in rural New Zealand and has come from the Isle of Man, is treading cautiously on the issue.
As Chief Officer of the Isle of Man’s Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture in his previous job he led major initiatives including an update of the island’s energy system. He said being in the middle of the Irish Sea with its own political system, energy sustainability and security were critical as was exploring renewable options.
“The Isle of Man is probably in mid-flight for considering what are the renewables best for the Isle of Man,” he said.
Weighing up the merits of wind turbines on land and in the sea had triggered much reflection and input from various parts of the communities, he said.
Last year (well before Mr Gallacher’s appointment) Goulburn Mulwaree opposed a $540 million solar farm southeast of Goulburn, as did landholders near the proposed infrastructure.
In May last year an activists group advocating for renewables, accused the council of closing down discussion on the issue. “There is no other way to put it – this is an outrageous attempt to muzzle a community group that supports renewable energy and wants to see the best deal for Goulburn from a $540 million project,” The Goulburn Group vice-president Mike Steketee said after members were not allowed to raise the issue in an open forum at the council.
After a week in his new job Mr Gallacher would not be drawn on whether renewables are a plus or minus for agriculture in the local government area.
But he is clear on including everyone in discussions and making available all the information and data. “We need to make sure we have the right conversations going with the communities. I would never presume that one is necessarily in opposition to another or one is cutting across another,” he said.
“I think the important things for us is never to presume that we think we know what’s best for the communities. What we need is that open communication and dialogue with our communities, for them to feed back to ourselves, where they see their interests,” he said.
Amazing opportunities on the horizon had to be driven through the communities.
The new general manager, who won the position after the council’s second call for applications, has pledged openness and transparency and wants to make the council’s strong financial position even stronger.
“I grew up on rural communities, that’s my passion. Right throughout my career I have worked in a lot of areas that deliver more for rural communities and worked in cities as well,” he said.
“I worked in Canberra 20 years ago for two years; I loved it but what I loved more was getting out and about the traps. So I had the fortune to be out exploring parts of this area and it has resonated with me,” he said.
He says his leadership style is empowering staff and communities to achieve more for themselves.
“I do bring a strong sense of being out and about and listening and if there is anything I can do to ensure the mayor and councillors can have a stronger council behind them to allow them to deliver more for the community then that’s important,” he said.
“When there are things that matter it’s important that people see me leading from the front,” he said. Nevertheless staff within the council were already leading from the front and the communities and doing amazing things, he said.
