Fiona Phillips MP recognises Councillor Greg Watson's contribution.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00I would like to recognise Councillor Greg Watson from Shorehaven City Council who has recently
00:05celebrated an amazing 50 years as a councillor and mayor and is retiring. I can honestly say
00:13that I have had the privilege of Greg Watson knowing me my entire life. We both lived at
00:18Tarrera when I was young and it was Greg Watson just before he was elected in 1974 that rescued
00:25me as a four-year-old from my family's dairy farm from the massive floods at Tarrera. In true
00:32Greg Watson style he used his truck to evacuate people from the community and as a youngster I
00:39was put in the front of the truck as we were evacuated into town. Greg was first elected as
00:45an alderman to Shorehaven Shire Council in 1974 but as a young person growing up in the town
00:51I have many fond memories and I can honestly say that Greg was there every step of the way. Greg
00:57was a master at always thinking ahead, a political strategist, a relationship builder, a problem
01:04solver and someone that always has the community at heart. It was those qualities that were
01:11appreciated and seeing that Greg achieved so much for Shorehaven. Whether it was establishing
01:16Flinders Industrial Estate, sealing roads, the REMS scheme, the Aviation Technology Park,
01:23the Shorehaven Entertainment Centre and more, what Greg achieved was nothing short of astounding.
01:29Greg's practical and proactive approach made Greg very popular electorally. It was Greg's
01:35idea to turn the Shorehaven Shire into the city of the Shorehaven and that's what happened in 1979.
01:42Greg made sure that every school child received a commemorative coin. I certainly received mine
01:47at Tarrera Public School and there was a huge street party in Nowra. But it was when I was a
01:52mum with my own young kids myself that Greg re-entered my life in a more prominent way.
01:58It was the Save the Nowra Pool campaign from September 2009 to 2015 where Greg would answer
02:05any of my questions. Greg provided advice when I asked but never expected for me to agree.
02:12That's what Greg did. He was a mentor and always made time to help others.
02:17It was Greg Watson that encouraged me to enter into politics and I suspect that Greg's main
02:22interest was that people entering politics should be doing so for the right reasons,
02:27for an absolute love of community, a genuineness and a true desire to serve our community for the
02:32better. Thank you, Councillor Greg Watson. You have left an incredible legacy and gift for us all.