Bree Hislop is the Governance Officer for the City of West Torrens.  She is also part of 2011's LGMA (SA) Emerging Leaders Program.

Bree tells us a bit about her role in Local Government in this month's member profile:

Hi Bree - thanks for being part of LGMA's newsletter this month.

What’s your current role?

I'm currently a Governance Officer at the City of West Torrens.

How did you get into that role?

I was able to trial life as a Governance Officer through a secondment position in 2008. I quickly recognised that the principles of accountability, transparency and continuous improvement closely reflected my own philosophies.

What do you like best about the current job?

There is ALWAYS something new to learn and, I must admit, it becomes slightly addictive.  A lot of our work is project based and it is very satisfying to see a new practice evolve to form part of an overall proactive governance program.

What advice would you give someone looking to get into a similar role?

I like to think of good governance principles and practices as a road map. Often we have an idea of where we would like to go and how to get there. The road map shows us where we are and where we should be - highlighting the obstacles and giving us options for the way forward. At some point, we all need to stop and ask for directions.

What’s next for you?

I'm thrilled to be participating in the LGMA Emerging Leaders Program this year.  I have enjoyed meeting other enthusiastic Local Government employees and draw a lot of motivation from working as part of a team.

There are many opportunities at the City of West Torrens to explore and I have raised my hand to participate in new challenges to broaden my skill set.  I'm working towards a Masters in Business Information Management through UniSA which I am able to apply to my current roll on a day to day basis.

I am hopeful for a long future in Local Government. If by chance I win the lottery, I may need to rethink this plan.

Why did you become a member of LGMA (SA)?

I became a member though the Emerging Leaders Program. I have been impressed with the commitment and dedication of existing LGMA members who have shown great support for the 2011 Emerging Leaders, offering their time, experiences and advice generously.

Please describe a typical day for us…

Luckily, there is no such thing as a typical day in Governance. Writing reports for Council, preparing for the appointment of new Authorised Officers, researching for a Freedom of Information application, providing training on the exercise of delegated powers and offering advice to employees are all common activities. Only one thing is certain - there is always a policy, patiently waiting to be reviewed.