Trinity Today Local Hero
Newly elected councillor and former TAP student Gary Gannon
initiatives in the country. I know that approximately 19 per cent of students in Trinity were accepted through non-traditional means and that’s an incredible figure. That affects not only the students but their families and their communities.”
Local Elections When Gary’s contract with Lourdes Youth and Community Services ended, nominations for the local elections were open so he put himself forward as an independent candidate. He went on to get elected as a local councillor for the north
inner city. “My job with the community service was to instil confidence in young people and I had a fantastic time working there. So when my contract ended, I wanted to continue as an advocate and that’s probably what led me to getting involved in politics and running for local election.” There are various reasons why people decide to become involved in politics and Gary is motivated by the impact he can have in his local community: “I became involved in politics because I wanted to present a different way of doing things;
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I’m not a politician who is only focused on my own interests. We have serious issues in this country and I want to be out there organising and giving people a voice. I want to improve the lives of my constituents; I see politics as a fight to improve the lives of people. I look around the area where I grew up and I think there’s a lot to fight for.” Gary also believes that many people are unable to identify with the current political system and feel alienated from it. “Trust is a huge issue. I come from a community that is largely apathetic and I want to re-instil confidence in the political system within my community. However, I also want to address issues such as inadequate levels of social housing, waste management, as well as high levels of unemployment and access to education. I really want to try and enact as much change as I can while I’m in office.” When it comes to his plans for the future, Gary wants to learn his trade as a councillor before even considering running for government. “I’d love to be re-elected as a local councillor in five years and I’d see that as a validation of the work I’ve done. If the opportunity arose to take it to the next level and run for general election after that I would certainly consider it.”l
Gary’s election poster