By Jolene Ogle
Seeing the difference he can make to people’s lives and his back-room political deals are some of Mayor Tony Wellington’s most proud achievements, as he tells reporter JOLENE OGLE.
Noosa Mayor Tony Wellington is an art lover; he’s passionate about music, has run folk clubs, recorded an album and even been a radio announcer for an avant-garde music program.
But it’s this enduring connection with creativity and the soul that has proved to be the most at risk during his first 12 months in the top job.
“If I have a fear, it is that in developing a necessary protective coating – the old tough skin – then I may lose some of my inherent compassion,” councillor Wellington said.
“I hope that doesn’t turn out to be the case. My wife tells me she’ll certainly let me know if that starts to happen.”
Cr Wellington’s entry into the top job came with its own share of polling-booth-related controversy and he has since had his fair share of public attention.
On dealing with the slings and arrows all aimed at him, Cr Wellington simply said: “You can’t please everyone.”
“Those that you don’t please will sometimes believe they represent some hidden silent majority or even that they are the custodians of common sense.
“But we each create our own reality and there is no absolute truth. No one holds the key to outright wisdom,” he said.
Cr Wellington said being judged is to be expected for those entering a political position.
“On entering the public domain, many people will formulate strong views about you as a person even though they may never have met you.
“Those views are often impossible to shift,” he said.
“That’s because of what’s called ‘confirmation bias’, whereby we tend to search out information – or misinformation – that reinforces our existing viewpoint. Social media has taken this to extremes.
“There will always be people who convince themselves that, as a public official, I must automatically be corrupt or self-serving.
“And there are those who will hold a life-long grudge because I beat them in an election or because I made a decision that they strongly disagree with.
“I can’t do anything about that. Nor can I stop people from making bogus claims about me or writing poison pen letters.
“Unfortunately, I think that the sort of treatment that politicians receive does deter people from standing for election.
“If politics didn’t get so ugly, we’d likely have more choice about who to vote for. Arguably more women would stand too. But hating politicians is a sort of national pastime these days.”
Cr Wellington admits dodging arrows can be tiring and makes sure he takes the time to reenergise and there’s no better – or more “Noosa” – way to stay connected to the mind, body and soul than by reconnecting with Noosa’s best asset.
“I still enjoy an early morning surf. It’s my meditation, if you like,” he said.
“I’ve not found anything else like surfing to take my mind off the day-to-day issues. I guess it’s what some psychologists call a ‘flow’ experience, where you are so involved in the task at hand that you lose your sense of self.”
Cr Wellington also takes comfort from his family and his “home patch”, holding dear the importance of family time.
“I am simply the sort of person who cares deeply about home. I’ve always been that way. For me, home is more than just the house where I live, it’s the whole area: the hinterland, river, and beach. That’s my home patch, and it’s where I feel most comfortable,” he said.
“Like many residents, we chose to live in Noosa because of the lifestyle. That includes the incredible natural wonders that we are immersed in. It’s also very much about Noosa’s singular approach to development.”
When it comes to being Mayor of Noosa, Cr Wellington himself admits he is an “unlikely politician” saying he drew the “short straw” when sitting on the amalgamated Sunshine Coast Council.
“I was caught up in the whole anti-amalgamation and then de-amalgamation movements, but I never imagined that might result in a career in politics,” he said.
“When I stood for election to the Sunshine Coast Council in 2012, it was with considerable reluctance but we knew we needed a strong advocate for an independent Noosa – someone to carry that banner into the heart of the amalgamated council. I guess I drew the short straw.
“Five years later, I can now appreciate what a momentous privilege it is to serve your community.
“There are not many jobs where you so readily get to see the difference you make to people’s lives.”
The past 12 months have brought with it a chance for Cr Wellington to achieve a number of goals with the support of and with thanks to his fellow councillors.
“I believe the current group of councillors are unanimously protective of the key features that define Noosa. As a result, it’s been a good first year for the new council,” he said.
“I am truly blessed with regards to my fellow councillors. Everyone is respectful of the opinions of their colleagues and any disagreements are left behind when the discussion ends. No one takes disputes personally.
“In that regard you could call it a very mature council. Hey, can I thank the residents for their excellent choice in selecting my colleagues?”
Among the highlights of his first year in the job, Cr Wellington rates instigating the council’s zero emissions initiative, achieving State grant funding for a range of projects and the positioning of Noosa within the South East Queensland Regional Plan as some of the highlights.
“We have also been making good headway with the State Government on a number of fronts. We are at last progressing river issues and state road matters. We are negotiating over some exciting conservation opportunities. But the State moves at a frustratingly glacial pace much of the time,” he said.
The Mayor also holds dear many achievements that will remain behind closed doors.
“You know, a lot of the biggest victories remain invisible to residents because they are out-of-sight political wins rather than the more obvious capital works projects, for example.
“When I have those political achievements, it would be indiscrete to crow about them publicly,” he said.
“They are more to do with how Noosa is viewed and treated by higher levels of government. That eventually pays off in matters like regional planning and grant funding.
“My job is to maintain the best possible relations with both State and Federal politicians. So far that is going as well as I could hope.”
Looking to the future, Cr Wellington said he will focus on helping Noosa adapt to global and national demands, whether that be climate change, new economic and business needs, or advancements that will help protect the environment.
“The trick is to achieve this without undermining the very elements that make Noosa both a world-class tourism destination and a great place to live,” he said.
“I seriously believe that Noosa is well positioned to show the world how we can live sustainably without ruining the planet. In 10 or 20 years’ time, I would like to imagine that people will come here to marvel at how Noosa managed to be so enlightened, innovative and shrewd.”
