Jamie Briggs (Mayo, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise tonight to pay tribute to the Chief Executive Officer of the Alexandrina Council, Mr John Coombe, who on 7 June this year announced that, as of 22 December, he will retire from being the CEO of the Alexandrina Council, a position he has held since its establishment in 1997, at which time he had been CEO of one of its precursor councils since 1988. This adds up to 22 years, which is a substantial effort, as I am sure you will realise, Mr Deputy Speaker.

The area the Alexandrina Council is responsible for includes a large part of the Lower Lakes, Milang, Clayton and Goolwa in addition to Strathalbyn. In recent times the area has faced the very worst of the Lower Lakes crisis. John Coombe, as the CEO of the council, along with the mayor, Kym McHugh, has worked very hard along with me and Adrian Pederick, the state local member, to ensure that this issue remains at the forefront of people’s minds.

John has done an outstanding job for the Alexandrina Council. He will be sorely missed. I know that Mayor Kym McHugh, who has been mayor for a similar amount of time at the Alexandrina Council, is sad to see him go. It will be a new era for the Alexandrina Council. We wish John and his wife, Carol, all the best in their future.