Sid Anderson retires from service to MacDonnell Regional Council

25 May 2018

After ten years service to the MacDonnell Regional Council, including seven years as its President, Sid Anderson announced his resignation today due to health issues. Effective immediately, Mr Anderson steps down from representing the Pintubi Luritja ward as a Councillor and from serving on Council’s Finance and Risk Committee and Audit Committee.

Mr Anderson’s local government service to the Papunya community and the Pintubi Luritja ward reaches back to his time with the Papunya Community Council. At today’s Council meeting his legacy in those roles was acknowledged by the Northern Territory Government’s Minister for Housing and Community Development, Gerry McCarthy and the Local Government Association of the Northern Territory’s President, Damian Ryan when they presented him with a badge that is the Association’s highest accolade honouring his 25 Years Long Service.

Sid Anderson was elected to represent his ward three times and served on the MacDonnell Council since it was formed as a Shire in 2008. He was promoted to President in its first year by his fellow Councillors. He oversaw the Council through its formative years, bringing direction and stability, and guiding it to become a highly regarded local government of the Northern Territory.

With a heavy heart, Sid Anderson announced his resignation to his fellow Councillors stating that due to his health issues he could no longer commit to the travel required to properly represent the people of the MacDonnell Regional Council and particularly the Pintubi Luritja ward.

The ward includes the communities of Kintore, Mt Liebig, Haasts Bluff and Mr Anderson’s home of Papunya. Ward councillors attend Local Authority meetings in the communities of their ward and Council meetings in Alice Springs along with any of the 13 communities across the Council’s quarter-million-square-kilometre footprint.

“Listening to the community is always very important for a Councillor, I need to know what people want and get that done. I have always enjoyed talking to people about what they want to see in their communities” Sid Anderson said.

Achievements of the MacDonnell Regional Council during Sid Anderson’s service include:

turning around the disrepair of Council’s inherited asset list of buildings and vehicles by upgrading them to be cost efficient and safe
delivering and maintaining budget surpluses following initial investment to establish a new council and upgrading its depleted assets
maintaining a consistently high Aboriginal workforce, between 75 – 80%, in real and meaningful employment
promoting and supporting a community based Aboriginal workforce into leadership roles
delivering and improving both core and non-core local government services in 13 remote Aboriginal communities across one of the country’s largest council areas
introducing new community infrastructure such as family parks, children’s play areas and facilities that raise people’s pride in their community
establishing a local government jurisdiction and delivering on Council’s vision of many voices, one dream, building a quality desert lifestyle and mission to improve the lives of Council residents by delivering valued and relevant services

In addition to his local government service Mr Anderson has contributed strongly to other civic and community roles across Central Australia, including with:

Ngurratjuta / Pmara Ntjarra Aboriginal Corporation since 1987, serving at various stages as a Director, Secretary, Deputy Chair and Chair;
Central Land Council since 1991 in various roles of Regional Delegate, Executive Member and Deputy Chair;
Papunya Community Council in various roles of Member, Deputy and President from 1985 until 2008;
Papunya Community Store as Chair since 2010;
Papunya Football Club as Coach and as a Committee member since 1986: and
Central Australian Football League as a Life Member since 2010

A by-election for the Pintubi Luritja ward will be conducted over the coming months.

See media release as PDF