Hobart City Council Alderman and prominent Hobart businesswoman Sue Hickey will stand for Lord Mayor of Hobart at the upcoming local government elections.
Ms Hickey believes the city needs strong, courageous and constructive leadership to maximise the once in a generation opportunities for our city to flourish and create pillars for a sustainable future.
“Hobart is in a fortunate position to have opportunities to maximise the growth within our CBD and surrounds but we need to approach it with clear creative thinking and not allow ourselves to be distracted by trivial and damaging issues.
“This means we need stronger leadership to assist develop the strategies and never lose sight that we represent and are working on behalf of the interests or our ratepayers.
“I also believe the city needs stronger focus on the aldermanic code of conduct and a review of all expenditure to ensure we are delivering services ratepayers and residents want and which we can afford. Rates are at stretch point for many and hence, I would like to see the alderman work in a more conducive manner to stop the expensive power playing games that produce endless, wasteful reports.” Ms Hickey said.
“The council already has produced many reports for infrastructure, social inclusion and strategy but we need the courage, direction and will to implement them!”
With a background of over 28 years in private enterprise and 33 years in the not for profit sector, Sue has a unique skill set. She understands the stringent corporate governance requirements of a council but she brings a focus on the budget management and the need to be productive with the precious resource – money paid by the ratepayers! Sue is a former Telstra Tasmanian Businesswoman of the Year (2007) and is a Master of Business and Administration (MBA).
“Our community deserves better!”
Elected with a majority in her first election, Sue has worked hard on the committees of Audit, Strategic Governance, Community Development, Marketing, Tourism and Events, Christmas Carols and she is Chair of the Christmas Pageant. Sue is passionate about all areas of local government.
There has not been a female Lord Mayor since the reign of Donne Kennedy, who was elected in 1986-1996. Doone Kennedy was a very popular Mayor who considers the Hobart Aquatic Centre as her greatest achievement. “We need a Sue Hickey to create unity and understanding as our Lord Mayor!” says Doone Kennedy.
“If elected, my focus will be on community, the business sector, infrastructure, governance and budget management” and “I will definitely be working with the other aldermen to make the team a more highly functioning one with less friction and point scoring”.
Ms Hickey is funding her own campaign and not accepting outside support.
Sue Hickey’s Bio 2014
Sue Hickey is a passionate and committed Tasmanian with extensive business experience. As the Managing Director of a company founded 23 years ago, Slick Promotions Pty Ltd, Sue understands the complexities of establishing and running a small business.
Sue is the 2007 Telstra Tasmanian Businesswoman of the Year, the 2007 Yellow Pages Businesswoman of the Year. Other accreditations include:
• Master of Business and Administration (MBA) Utas 2012.
• Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors
• Fellow of the Australian Marketing Institute
• Certified Practicing Marketer
• Certificate in Digital Marketing.
In 2011, Sue was elected as an Alderman of the Hobart City Council and is on the following committees:
• Audit
• Strategic Governance
• Marketing and Events
• Tourism and Festivals
• Community Development
• Christmas Carols
• Chair of the Christmas Pageant.
As a Past President of The Rotary Club of Hobart, Sue has a 33 year history with many not-for-profit organisations emanating from her time as Miss Tasmania (1979) and she was recently awarded a Paul Harris Fellowship for her work with Rotary. Sue is also a Board member of the Glenorchy Community Fund.
Sue has held several Directorships of private and not for profit boards and Sue contributes to the small business and corporate sector, an area she considers her specialty.
Sue’s is passionate about the community sector. She believes that not for profit and service organisations save our City millions of dollars every year through their volunteer work, providing assistance that governments can simply not stretch their resources to do. These organisations are the glue of our society providing the support, networks and fellowships that make a huge difference to the lives of so many people.
Alderman Sue Hickey with Hobart’s first female Lord Mayor, Doone Kennedy A.O.
Doone Kennedy
First (and last) female Lord Mayor of Hobart (1986-1996)
• First elected to Council in 1982
• Hobart’s first female Lord Mayor from 1986 to 1996
• Alderman from 1982 to 1999
• Was married to John Kennedy (now deceased) who was an Alderman from 1970 to 1982
• Doone’s period as the Lord Mayor saw renovations to the interior of the Town Hall, with new seating, new doors and the refurbishment and rehanging of the chandeliers.
• Doone cites the building of the Aquatic Centre (finished in 1997) as the greatest achievement of her time as Lord Mayor.
• After Brian Broadby’s term as Lord Mayor, Doone was elected. The wife of John Kennedy, she described herself as a housewife. Down-to-earth and sensible, with a flair for the right words on the right occasion and excellent understanding of people, she was known for her willingness to help ratepayers with problems. She was popular and successful socially, a good public face for Hobart. Brian Broadby praised her for bringing the Council together ‘as best one could’ in a time of division, then keeping it ‘reasonably sound’. Fellow Alderman, Barry Fisher, admired the way she was willing to listen and if she did not know she was not too proud to ask. ‘She had a wonderful sense of humour and the ability to laugh at herself. Doone recalled when she was elected Lord Mayor, Fisher told her it was no job for a woman, but after working with her he told her he had to eat humble pie – ‘it was a job a woman could do’. Barrie Southern, the Town Clerk, praised the way Doone was never flustered, never nervous before big occasions: ‘she was just as much at home chatting to the Queen as to a garbage collector’.
• Doone retired as Lord Mayor in 1996 after 10 years, by which time she was the longest-serving Lord Mayor in Australia, and when the Lord Mayor of London invited Australian lord mayors for a visit, she responded to his welcoming address.
*Information taken from the publication Growing with Strength – A History of the Hobart City Council 1846 – 2000, by Stefan Petrow and Alison Alexander.
Endorsement of Sue Hickey’s campaign for Lord Mayor.
To become a great city, we need a great Lord Mayor. Sue is going to take the City to the next level. She’s a natural leader. Sue is clear on her vision for the future and I know she will make it happen because she listens to people and she’s not apprehensive about making tough decisions.
Whilst Sue is always respectful, she can certainly hold her own in a very political and sometimes aggressive environment. I fully support Sue as the next Lord Mayor of Hobart.
— Doone Kennedy (Lord Mayor of Hobart 1986-1996)
Sue Hickey
