AS Local Government Elections approach, News Of The Area is introducing you to the candidates for the Election.

Karen Hutchinson’s Group G will return to the polls for a fifth time in the upcoming election, with a team composed entirely of women.

Advertise with News of The Area today.
It’s worth it for your business.
Message us.
Phone us – (02) 4981 8882.
Email us – media@newsofthearea.com.au

The team consists of Karen Hutchinson (Stroud/Booral), Donna Carrier (Wingham), Wendy Hughes (Gloucester), Jill Buttel (Taree), Chloe Dalrymple-Hutchinson (Booral) and Christine Stani (Booral).

Karen Hutchinson spoke to News Of The Area about her decision to re-run.

“We’ve all had a tough eighteen months and it’s about getting back to basics in 2021 and beyond; putting the community first and being responsive to the three Rs – rates, rubbish and roads,” she said.

Group G candidates represent a large spectrum of the MidCoast, composed of long-standing residents and business owners within the communities of the area.

The group believes that these connections help them to understand the needs of local residents whilst still working closely with all levels of Government to secure funding for all of the MidCoast communities.

Karen Hutchinson is a current MidCoast Councillor who has been an active member of the Stroud/Booral communities for nearly 30 years.

She holds committee positions on a number of organisations including the MidCoast Regional Recovery Business Roundtable, Port Stephens Great Lakes Marine Park, Floodplain Management Committee, and Hunter and Central Coast Joint Regional Planning Panel, as well as constantly supporting her community through the Stroud Men’s Shed, Stroud Brick Throwing Committee and Stroud’s Showground Management.

Joining Karen is Donna Carrier, a Wingham resident and business of over seventeen years, recently awarded the 2021 Business Leader for Mid North Coast Award.

Donna is dedicated to the community and is a driven leader who supports multiple local charities and local events.

Receiving an OAM for services to the community of Gloucester, Wendy Hughes OAM from Barrington is also in Group G.

Wendy’s interest in politics dates back to the late 1970’s when she was one of the first women given permission to ‘man’ the Gloucester electoral booth.

For four decades Wendy has supported the Gloucester community introducing the stranger-danger and Safety House Scheme program to the parents and children of the area in 1979 and during the early 1980’s drought she facilitated development of the Rural Counselling Scheme in the Gloucester region in effort to support local farmers and their families.

Jill Buttel has been a Taree local for thirteen years and believes the environment should be a priority this election.

If elected, her intention is to always listen and encourage community members to help shape the development of our local environmental matters.

The remaining candidates also bring a strong local connection to the group with Chloe Dalrymple-Hutchinson being a proud resident of Booral – studying a double degree of Agriculture and Business majoring in Accounting through the University of New England.

Christine Stani has a lifetime of calling Booral home and spending every opportunity on her family’s property over the past 50 years.

“Group G will also concentrate on the effective delivery of new community programs and services, including but not limited to new recycling initiatives.

“We will bring Council’s Mission Statement: deliver benefits for our community in a way that adds value and trust to the forefront and, we must continue to implement our Barrington Coast Destination Management Plan as economic development is vital in our LGA and we must better ourselves in this area,” Karen said.

By Tara CAMPBELL