Constituent Statement - Councillor Greg Watson - video Dailymotion

Fiona Phillips MP recognises Councillor Greg Watson's contribution.

Transcript

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.