Mayor and Councillor profiles
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Cr Matt Burnett
Mayor
Office: (07) 4970 0700
mayor@gladstone.qld.gov.au
First elected: 2000,
Mayor 2016 - present
Gladstone Region
Mayor Matt Burnett was born and raised in the Gladstone Region with his family's connection to the region extending six generations. He is a former small business operator and qualified journalist, having started his own newspaper, The Port Curtis Post, at the age of 19.
He has served in Local Government since 2000, including five years as Deputy Mayor prior to his election as Mayor. During his time in Local Government, Cr Burnett served as Chairman of Technical Services with Gladstone City Council and as portfolio representative in Technical Services, Infrastructure Services and Town Planning with Gladstone Regional Council after amalgamation in 2008.
Cr Burnett has always had the best interests of the community at heart and, as Mayor, he draws upon the experience he has gathered over his years in Council to ensure those interests remain a key consideration even as the region continues to grow and develop.
Cr Burnett brings an inclusive style of leadership to Council, making sure the thoughts and views of his fellow Councillors, Council officers, business and industry leaders, community groups and organisations, and members of the community are all heard and taken into consideration.
Cr Burnett represents Central Queensland on the Local Government Association of Queensland Policy Executive, is a Director on the LGAQ Board and is Vice President of Australian Local Government Association.
Boards, Committees, Groups
- Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) Director & Vice President
- Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) Director & Policy Executive Member
- Central Queensland Regional Organisation of Councils (CQROC) Director
- Local Disaster Management Group Chairman
Cr Natalia Muszkat
Deputy Mayor
Mobile: 0436 646 201
Natalia.Muszkat@gladstone.qld.gov.au
First elected: 2018
Councillor Natalia Muszkat is an experienced manager, facilitator and community development professional. She migrated to Australia in 1999 from Argentina, moving to Gladstone in 2007 to raise her young family.
Natalia has a great passion for community and social and human services. In her years in the Gladstone Region she has been instrumental in delivering a wide range of projects including traineeships for disadvantaged job seekers, domestic and family violence prevention programs, literacy initiatives, school bursaries, parenting programs and art and culture projects.
More recently she co-founded not for profit social enterprise, Strong Communities Ltd, to promote wellness for children, parents, families and organisations in regional and remote communities.
Councillor Natalia has a Bachelor in Workplace Health and Safety (with Distinction) and a Diploma in Business Governance. She is a Member of the Multicultural Queensland Advisory Council and a Fellow of the Institute of Community Directors Australia.
Natalia's diverse cultural and professional experience has taught her to always conduct herself with empathy, compassion and respect for all people’s ideas and experiences.
Boards, Committees, Groups
- Audit Risk and Improvement Committee
- Coastal Council Adaptation Taskforce (C-CAT) Executive Committee
- Reef Guardian Council Steering Committee
- Gladstone Local Marine Advisory Committee Coastal Hazards Adaption Strategy (CHAS)
- Reference Group Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) Reference Group.
- Gladstone Foundation Board of Advice – Member.
Cr Glenn Churchill
FIML, MIPs, MBWA
Councillor
Mobile: 0407 289 139
Glenn.Churchill@gladstone.qld.gov.au
First elected: 2016
Gladstone Regional Council;
Banana Shire 1997-2008
Councillor Glenn Churchill has been an active resident of the greater Gladstone Region and Central Queensland for well over 30 years. He has gained extensive experience, knowledge, education, and wisdom in 20 years in Local Government as a Mayor and Councillor.
Together with his wife Sue and family, Cr Churchill has served the business, sporting, NFP (not-for-profit) charity, tourism and communities of our region through many different avenues in public life.
He has been a long-time Chairman of the Gladstone Police Citizens Youth Club (PCYC), Diamond Life member of the Queensland Police-Citizens Youth Welfare Association (QPCYWA) and spent seven years appointed GAPDL CEO, and State Tourism CEOs forum advocating for our Region and an additional seven years as an honorary Board Member.
Cr Churchill is current Chair for five years of our Gladstone Regional Arts Development Fund Board (RADF), appointed Chair of Disaster Recovery Committee (Infrastructure), active member of the Saiki Sister City Committee International Friendship, Gladstone Safe Night Precinct, past Chair of our Region’s Planning and Development Committee, past Director of the Gladstone Airport Corporation Board. Over his time in Local Govt was elected by CQ LGs representing all Central Qld Local Governments on the LGAQ State Executive.
Cr Churchill is also a Life Member and volunteer of various other local community-based charity and not-for profit organisations. He previously protected the community for 27 years as a Queensland Police Officer and is currently elected Honorary President of the Gladstone Region Queensland Retired Police Association. He strongly believes and advocates in giving back to the community as a volunteer. Is a qualified teaching / performing percussionist with the International Percussion Society, Gladstone Thistle Pipes and Drums and active local performing arts with group SAND and providing tutelage / mentoring to the next generation.
Cr Churchill strongly believes in working together in harmony to help foster a culture of civic pride in the region and its communities, valuing the contribution of our various industries, community groups, rural producers, recognising the very vital work Council does every day with support, innovation, connection and diversity for the benefit of region and communities.
Boards, Committees, Groups
- Gladstone Airport Corporation Board of Directors
- Gladstone and District Sports Foundation Trust
- Gladstone Region Infrastructure Recovery Sub-Group.
Cr Kahn Goodluck
Councillor
Mobile: 0433 944 302
Kahn.Goodluck@gladstone.qld.gov.au
First elected: 2016
Councillor Kahn Goodluck lives in Boyne Island and has three young children. He is a boilermaker by trade and has worked in local industry as well as performing as a musician at events and venues across the region.
Having lived in both a city and growing up in Kilkivan, a small country town, he believes the Gladstone Region is the perfect combination of both. It offers the services of a city with the benefits of a country lifestyle – like a safe community and the opportunity to enjoy the great outdoors – and is the perfect place to provide a great lifestyle and opportunities for his children.
Cr Goodluck has been a union delegate and health and safety representative in construction, and through this work, has honed the valuable art of negotiation and compromise to reach positive outcomes. He believes his working-class background brings a different and valuable perspective to Council.
He is the President of the Boyne Tannum Arts Business and Community Assoc. Inc. (BTABC) which puts on events like Beach Arts Music (BAM) and Under The Trees music festival. He has a passion for community-led organisations that provide experiences for locals and visitors and help create memories for families.
Cr Goodluck is the Chair of the Roseberry QLD Gladstone Headspace Consortium and is a Director on the board of Apprentices and Trainees QLD (formerly GAGAL). As a tradesman he is proud to be able to give back some time and expertise to this organisation to help others.
Cr Goodluck is motivated to engage with people throughout the region and ensure everyone gets a fair go. He is passionate about government policy and the impact it has on people’s lives. He is outgoing, determined with a positive attitude and strong work ethic that will serve him well on Council.
Boards, Committees, Groups
- Gladstone Regional Road and Transport Group
Cr Karen Davis
Councillor
Mobile: 0458 609 187
Karen.Davis@gladstone.qld.gov.au
First elected: 2024
Councillor Karen Davis has lived in Gladstone for 56 years attending Gladstone Central State School and finishing her schooling at Gladstone State High School. She married her husband of 36 years, Andrew, in Gladstone and has three adult children.
Cr Davis has worked as a local conveyancer for more than 25 years at various local law firms as well as owning and running small businesses in Gladstone with her husband. Being a newly elected 2024 Councillor on the Gladstone Regional Council, she has the best interests of the community at heart.
Cr Davis brings with her local knowledge and understanding from growing up, living and working in the Gladstone Region. Growing up in the Gladstone Region has given Cr Davis firsthand experience of changes and growth over the years and gives her an understanding of the issues that the region has faced and its challenges moving forward.
Cr Davis loves that the Gladstone Region has so much diversity from the Boyne Valley, to the Southern Great Barrier Reef on our doorstep and looks forward to playing a part in its continued growth and sustainability as an elected member.
She wants to contribute to the direction of Council and working as a team member, as well as being a strong local voice for the community and offering a commonsense approach to Council.
Qualifications
- Conveyancer
- Commissioner for Declarations (Cdec).
Boards, Committees, Groups
- Gladstone Area Promotion and Development Ltd (GAPDL)
- Gladstone Local Marine Advisory Committee
- Gladstone Healthy Harbour Partnership
- Reef Guardian Council Executive Committee.
Cr Leanne Patrick
Councillor
Mobile: 0460 880 117
Leanne.Patrick@gladstone.qld.gov.au
First elected: 2024
Councillor Leanne Patrick's journey is a testament to the profound impact of community and the resilience it fosters. Growing up amidst the vibrant energy of Brisbane, Leanne always felt a deep connection to regional Queensland, particularly Bundaberg, where her roots trace back through generations.
Her formative years spent visiting Bundaberg instilled within her a profound sense of community spirit and a determination to effect positive change. In 1997, Leanne married her childhood sweetheart, Nathan, and together they embarked on the adventure of parenthood, welcoming their sons William and Harrison into the world in 2005 and 2007, respectively.
For over two decades, Leanne dedicated herself to the dental profession, honing her skills and expertise, even venturing abroad to study and work at the Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies. However, in 2013, a new chapter beckoned as the Patricks seized the opportunity to own and operate McDonald's in Boyne Island, marking a significant shift in their lives.
Relocating to Tannum Sands, Leanne found herself immersed in the serene beauty of the Gladstone Region, where lush national parks seamlessly blend with pristine coastal landscapes. Her profound love for the region and its people ignited a passion for community involvement, leading her to advocate and volunteer across a spectrum of organisations, events, clubs, and industry-based companies.Leanne's transformative journey, including her participation in the QUT Pathways to Politics for Women program, galvanised her to pursue a career in local government. Fuelled by her unwavering commitment to prioritising the needs of the community, Leanne ran for office with a simple yet powerful pledge: to champion a 'Community First' approach, ensuring the Gladstone Region thrives as a place where every individual has the opportunity to contribute and succeed.
Boards, Committees, Groups
- GAPDL Communities for Children Advisory Committee
- Gladstone Port Welfare Committee
- Audit Risk and Improvement Committee (ARIC) Alternate
- Gladstone Regional Council Audit and Risk Committee
- Gladstone Regional Council Reconciliation Action Plan Reference Group
- Gladstone Regional Council SES Management Group
- Philip Street Communities and Families Precinct Advisory Committee
- Saiki City Advisory Committee
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Cr Mellissa Holzheimer
Councillor
Mobile: 0437 832 437
Mellissa.Holzheimer@gladstone.qld.gov.au
First elected: 2024
Councillor Mellissa Holzheimer has more than 20 years of experience working alongside the Gladstone Region’s most vulnerable community members. She comes with extensive experience in leadership, community engagement, training and development within the community services sector. She has lived most of her life in the Gladstone Region, having shared the last 23 years with her husband Matt. Mellissa comes from a large family, being one of 10 children.
Mellissa’s passion for the community sector started when she became a disability support worker when leaving school and she has worked her way up through her passion for learning and personal development. Mellissa describes herself as someone who works hard but quietly in the background to assist others to reach their potential. She has a deep passion for social justice and creating a community that can meet all of its residences needs through a thoughtful, considerate approach.
Cr Holzheimer’s career to date has seen her working in the disability, child protection and mental health space supporting families and the staff working with those families in order for them to gain the skills and support they need to reach their potential. It is this approach that she wants for everyone in our region.
Cr Holzheimer has also owned her own business for the last two years. This business is about creating resilience for women who have lived experience of disability or chronic health.
She also has other qualifications in non-traditional fields like Mindset Coaching, Kinesiology and is studying to become a Qigong Practitioner (a Chinese system of physical exercise and breath work related to Tai chi).
Qualifications
- Diploma in Child, Youth & Family Intervention
- Diploma in Community Services
- Certificate IV in Training and Assessment.
Boards, Committees, Groups
- Chair –Special Olympics Gladstone Committee
- Audit Risk and Improvement Committee
- Philip Street Communities And Families Precinct Advisory Committee
- Regional Arts Development Fund (RADF) Committee
- Capricorn Pest Management Group
- Local Authorities Waste Management Advisory Committee (LAWMAC)
- Environment Recovery Sub-Group.
Cr Michelle Wagner
Councillor
Mobile: 0483 360 456
Michelle.Wagner@gladstone.qld.gov.au
First elected: 2024
Councillor Michelle Wagner’s career has centred on journalism, communications, community engagement, marketing, business strategy and management, and teaching. As an active community volunteer, Michelle is a member of several sporting and community groups and formerly served on the Board of Gladstone Women’s Health Inc.
She is an advocate for community wellbeing, health and safety; and has a keen interest in weed management and control to reduce economic, environmental and social impact on our region. In addition, her vision is to have the region grow into a desired tourism destination and to positions itself as ‘The Region of Choice’ in Australia because of the opportunities and assets it offers.
As a future-focused elected representative, Cr Wagner strives to ensure the region gets its fair share of benefit from industrial and green energy growth in the Gladstone Region. She strives for residents to be represented with respect and understanding; treated fairly and consistently; and that norms are challenged when they need to be challenged. Her vision is to have a region that is united in its goals and endeavours and where residents feel a sense of pride, social camaraderie and belonging.
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Arts (Journalism, Public Relations, Psychology)
- Bachelor of Learning Management (with Distinction)
- Diploma of Human Resources
- Diploma of Management
- Diploma of Business
Boards, Committees, Groups
- Capricorn Pest Management Group
- Transport Environment Advisory Group
- Audit Risk and Improvement Committee (ARIC) Alternate
- Disaster Recovery in Human and Social.
Cr Simon McClintock
Councillor
Mobile: 0461 573 756
Simon.McClintock@gladstone.qld.gov.au
First elected: 2024
Grounded in a rich family legacy of community leadership and service, Councillor Simon McClintock embodies values of compassion, generosity, and a deep-seated commitment to aiding those in need. From a young age, Simon has actively participated in diverse community initiatives, both locally and internationally, dedicating his time and resources to support individuals and organisations.
As the founder of a local social enterprise cafe, Simon has played a pivotal role in creating avenues of opportunity for individuals facing adversity and life challenges. By forging partnerships with local support services, Simon has facilitated assistance and employment opportunities for those living with additional needs, witnessing firsthand the transformative power of empathy and support. It’s with this mindset Simon approaches his role within local government.
Steered by values of integrity, empathy, and transparency, Simon approaches leadership and community involvement with steadfast dedication. He actively listens to the concerns of community members, advocating for policies that prioritise people over politics. As an elected representative in local government, Simon is committed to challenging convention and strives towards a brighter future for all.
Simon envisions a community where every voice is heard, families flourish, and diversity is celebrated as a cornerstone of strength. His vision for local governance revolves around inclusivity, honesty, and compassion, ensuring decisions are made with the broader community's best interests at heart.
Whether you're seeking guidance or simply want to engage in conversation, Simon warmly invites you to reach out. When we better understand others, together, he believes, we can sculpt a region we are all proud to call home—a place where every voice matters, and collective action shapes a brighter tomorrow.
Boards, Committees, Groups
- Economic Recovery Sub-Group
- Gladstone Region LNG Community Consultative Committee
- Gladstone Regional Road and Transport Group (Alternate Delegate)
- Rural Fire Brigades Advisory Group
- Saiki City Advisory Committee
- Transport Environment Advisory Group
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