Led by incumbent councillor Adam Roberts, the six-person team is set to contest the Port Macquarie-Hastings Council (PMHC) elections on September 14.

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In addition to leading the team, Mr. Roberts has also announced his candidacy for the mayoral race, marking his second attempt at the top job after losing to former Mayor Peter Besseling in 2012.

Joining the Team Roberts ticket are first-term councillors Danielle Maltman and Josh Slade, who have served on council since their election in 2021.

“It’s great to have councillors Maltman and Slade re-standing for election,” Mr Roberts said.

“They have a proven track record of representing our community and now bring a wealth of experience to our new-look team.”

Rounding out the team are Chris Kirkman, Evan O’Brien and Kylie Van Der Ley, all of whom have strong business backgrounds and deep family ties to the Port Macquarie-Hastings area.

The professional experience of the team spans multiple industries, including banking and finance, freight and transport, construction, fabrication and farming, vehicle mechanics, food and beverage service, and hospitality.

Each member also has a long history of supporting local community groups, charities, and sporting clubs.

Mr Roberts is no stranger to council, having first been elected in 2012 and serving one term before being re-elected in 2021 on the Team Pinson ticket, alongside councillors Maltman and Slade.
He has also served as Deputy Mayor under the last two mayors.

With current Mayor Peta Pinson announcing her retirement, the mayoral race is wide open, and Mr Roberts is eager to step up.

“We need to keep this momentum going to continue to progress on priorities of council such as roads, footpaths, parks, and gardens, easing our traffic congestion along with significantly investing in our ageing sporting infrastructure.”

A key platform for Team Roberts is a commitment to opposing any unjustified special rate variations or increases that don’t directly fund core infrastructure.

This stance reflects the voting records of councillors Roberts, Maltman and Slade, who have consistently opposed rate rises during their tenure.

With the election just under five weeks away, the race for council seats and the mayoralty is heating up, with several teams and mayoral candidates now in the fray.

By Luke HADFIELD