John White was tonight elected Mayor of East Gippsland Shire Council for the next 12 months.

A farmer from Lindenow South, Cr White brings experience as a returning councillor and a focus on addressing the priorities of our communities.

Cr White is in his third consecutive term as a councillor, and is a former Mayor, having served from 2019-20 through the Black Summer Bushfires.

Supporting Cr White will be Cr Sonia Buckley who was elected Deputy Mayor. Cr Buckley is a returning councillor, serving her second term.

John said he is honoured to take on the role and looks forward to working collaboratively with Council and residents to ensure East Gippsland remains a great place to live, work and visit. 

“Residents have elected a robust and representative councillor group. We have a variety of backgrounds and a strong range of skillsets. These include environmental expertise, leading and managing successful businesses, accounting, and strategic planning. We all have a history of working with people and focussing on outcomes,” he said.

The Mayor emphasised his commitment to working to ensure Council remains focused on local priorities and continues to provide value for ratepayers.  

“I will put engagement with and support for residents before everything else. My vision is to start our journey together by bringing out the best of our knowledge, skills and experiences, and produce great outcomes for our community,” he said.

“As a large shire with a small ratepayer base, we need to carefully balance priorities to make the best use of resources. We listen to our communities and align our actions with their most pressing needs, while also ensuring fairness across the region. 

“Our councillors and staff live and work across East Gippsland. We encourage feedback and value the time people take to share their thoughts, helping us make better decisions for everyone. I want us all, councillors and staff, to represent our community with a smile.”

Council CEO Fiona Weigall congratulated Crs White and Buckley on their appointments. 

“This is an exciting time for East Gippsland,” Ms Weigall said.

“Our team looks forward to working with our new Mayor and Deputy Mayor, and the wider Council to achieve the best outcomes for our community.” 

A live stream of the meeting is available on our YouTube channel.

The next Council meeting will be held on Tuesday 3 December.