Business (Almost) as Usual: The challenges of changing our business for COVID-19

Abstract

This paper describes my life journey from being an engineering graduate to being a councillor on Gympie Regional Council (population 50,000). I never planned to be a councillor, but am in a position now to recommend it as a rewarding career move for local government engineers. I propose that our profession lends itself to preparing us to be councillors. By taking you through my journey I will show how my personal interests, my approach to my job, and a series of events surrounding me, contributed to my being where I am now. IPWEAQ played a crucial part in my personal development, which I will highlight. I am giving this paper partly because of the debt I owe IPWEAQ and its members. I have had in some ways a remarkable life, largely I suggest through good luck rather than good planning. And being Councillor Fredman, after being Engineer Fredman for a long time, has added an extra dimension to that life. The paper will include some hints on how to get past that rather crucial phase, winning an election. I will also discuss some of my experiences as a councillor. It will be an essential read for anyone who has life left in them when they retire, and who don’t want to join the hordes of bald (or grey) nomads clogging our roads and airways.