Introduce yourself and why you have decided to stand for council?
My name is Patricia Winch, I am 68-year-old mother of two and have five grandchildren. I was born in Balranald and I’ve been married to my husband Thomas for 42 years.
I am a Traditional Owner and work as a registered Aboriginal party with the department of Premier and Cabinet in culture and heritage.
I am an elected committee member of the Willandra Lakes region advisory committee, a member of the Balranald local Aboriginal land council and a committee member of the home-board of the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. I am also a member of the Western Local Land Services Aboriginal Community Advisory Group.
Have you any past experience in local government?
Yes, through my work with the committees I sit on and their departments.
I have worked extensively with local government during my time on the Willandra Lakes advisory committee with the Mungo Man and Mungo Woman repatriations.
If elected, what issues do you hope to address and prioritise during your time at council?
• Building a more accountable and accessible council
• Promoting and developing cultural tourism, especially with Mungo and Yanga national parks
• Improving medical services (full-time doctor and dentist)
• Improving access to mental health services
• Caring for our environment, rivers and lakes
• Improving the roads within our shire.
In what way would you like to improve the municipality?
I care about all sectors of the Balranald Shire community and support opportunities for sustainable and managed growth that will benefit all our residents and businesses.
