Reg Kidd
Councillor Reg Kidd
Married to Kerry [teacher James Sheahan High] Three sons Ben, Gavin and Mitchell.
I was born and bred in Orange. I attended Glenroi public school then went on to Orange High School.
My wife and sons are and were all educated in Orange. My great grandfather was a blacksmith at Lucknow therefore my family goes back to late 1800s in Orange.
I have been patron of Glenroi School and I am on the Orange High School Advisory Council. I have also been involved in a professional way and voluntary way with most of the schools and Universities in the Region.
I do Environmental, Agricultural and natural resource management consulting as well as training.
I love all sports and have been actively involved [including voluntary administration for many years], Heritage/history [started Council's Heritage advisory committee].
I am involved in a number of voluntary organisations that provide various needs for others in the Community. Even before being on Council I have pursued the need to have balanced growth and to manage our wonderful natural resources.
Some of the organizations and committees that I am involved in are:
- Orange Botanic Garden Advisory Committee since 1979.
- Australian National Field Days Committee since 1975.
- Board Orange Community ,training and education committee since 1978.
- Board Central West Catchment Advisory Board.
- Chairman NSW Noxious Weeds Advisory Committee.
- New Chair of NSW Primary Industries Skills advisory group.
- Community radio since 1990.
I highlighted the need to plan for our water needs into the future and moved the successful motion through Council to prepare an Integrated Water Management Plan, and to secure water supplies for times of emergency i.e. drought.
I have pursued the establishment of numerous parks, gardens and GREEN spaces for Orange including the Botanic Gardens, Earth Sanctuary, Gosling Creek, Bloomfield Park, walking trails etc etc, I have chaired the Parks, Street trees and Waterways committee since I have been on Council and formed the Natural Resource and Environment Advisory Committee.
I have done a Gardening [live] talkback radio program on the ABC for 19 years [which sees me speaking etc any numerous charity events to raise funds]. I have also been doing a live talkback with Charles Wooley over the Macquarie Network for 2 years.
Dislikes ……..folk who continually KNOCK our wonderful City without putting forward constructive suggestions, or any voluntary time themselves to any causes.
The heavy vehicle passage still down Summer Street is a dislike that I have actively lobbied for the completion of the Northern Distributor.
As a Councillor I have lobbied for the new hospital and was on the advisory group that saw confirmation of a new hospital and negotiated its location.
I have chaired the WORKS Committee for 17 years. This advisory committee of Council overlooks Roads, Sewerage, Waste Management, and Water, as a result, I have been involved in a number of large capital works projects to secure necessary infrastructure for Orange which also included lobbying for funding.
I have been successful in getting a number of major conferences to Orange including State Landcare Conference with 600 delegates. The State Saleyard Operators Conference and a number of others. I have taken a great deal of pride at seeing the state of the art Regional saleyards commence at Carcoar after 10 years of frustrating lobbying. These yards are considered best practice and will serve our community for many years.
I believe in supporting cultural facilities as well as sporting facilities to give a balanced community. We have a wonderful Conservatorium of music, a broad range of sporting facilities, but we still need to pursue other identified needs as funds permit.
My Priorities are:
- Water Management and security.
- Law and order issues.
- Maintenance and enhancement of sporting and cultural facilities.
- Completion of Northern Distributor.
- New hospital and associated facilities.
- A better service, and better priced airline service to Orange.
- AND making sure the Council does not get itself into a situation where rates continually rise to service loans. Orange needs a rate relief in the near future.
We need to establish a museum, look at increased activities at the Function Centre and to getting a more visible and accessible Tourist Information Centre. I will continue in my capacity in the media to attract visitors to our city.
Making it happen:
I will continue to work hard and listen to the concerns of the ratepayer and other sectors of the community. Listen, read, do my homework, and continue to actively participate.
I represent all NSW Councils on a number of Natural Resource Management Boards, and will continue to raise our wonderful city’s profile. I LOVE ORANGE. I listen, learn, actively participate and promote our city at any opportunity. I am involved in numerous charity and community service roles and will continue to do so if on Council or not.
Kindest Regards
Reg Kidd
