In this episode, we talk to Mayor Rhys Williams from the City of Mandurah about engaging the Australian voters in the political discourse.
Topics covered include:
- The importance of local government in creating an engaged community
- What it means to be a young person in politics
- How to find your passion
- The importance of having and / or being a mentor
- Mental health in the ageing population and how community can support that
- How to engage the voters in shaping the community
- The issue with allowing political discussions getting too emotional
- The democratisation of influence
- Why climate change is so crucial
- Fostering the ecosystem of entrepreneurial thinkers
- The importance of diversity in leadership roles, especially when it comes to age
- How to find a mentor
- What the role of a mayor involves
- The importance of strategic planning in local government
- Why you shouldn’t define yourself by your title
- How to deal with conflict in politics in a responsible manner
- How we as consumers can change the news we read and hear
- The benefits of being an independent candidate in local politics
About Mayor Williams:
Rhys Williams is the Mayor of Mandurah, and the 2015 Young West Australian of the Year.
Prior to being elected Mayor in October 2017, Rhys was the CEO and Founder of The Makers, a non-profit social enterprise based in the Peel Region. As part of this role, Rhys worked with the team to establish Make Place, a co-working and innovation hub based in the Mandurah CBD.
In 2009, Rhys was one of the youngest people in Western Australia elected to a Local Government Council. He is an ambassador to the One Young World Leaders Summit, the world’s premier global leaders program, and is Chairman of the Mandurah Performing Arts Centre and John Tonkin College.
Rhys has worked with more than 100 communities across Australia and internationally, and is passionate about innovation as a tool for driving social change.
