Council
31 January, 2024
Mayoral candidate promises to be a voice for Somerset
Somerset councillor Jason Wendt has confirmed he will run for Mayor at the local government election on March 16.
Somerset councillor Jason Wendt has confirmed he will run for Mayor at the local government election on March 16.
The news comes after another Somerset councillor, Sean Choat, revealed in last week’s Sentinel that he too would stand for the position.
Cr Wendt said he was “excited and energised at the prospect of leading the next Somerset Council team as Mayor”.
Having served the last term as councillor after 20 years in business as a Vet, Cr Wendt said he felt he had the knowledge and experience to lead a team of councillors who will be focused on the needs of the Somerset community.
“After meeting my wife, whose family is fourth generation residents in the region, we moved onto her parents’ dairy farm where we began beef farming and raised our three boys,” he said.
Cr Wendt said he had taken any opportunity to work with the youth, to foster respect and care for others within the region through sports clubs, schools, arts and culture showcases.
Cr Wendt (pictured) has also been involved in volunteer positions through the P&C at the local school, and the Rural Fire Brigade as crew leader and fire warden.
"We also need more business opportunities for existing and new businesses to grow ..." - Jason Wendt
“I believe this is where you gain a real sense of what drives your community, by listening to local residents’ ideas and concerns,” he said.
Cr Wendt identified agriculture as the backbone of the region’s economy, saying “it’s what gives us our rural amenity we all enjoy, and this industry needs to be fostered to continue to thrive”.
“We also need more business opportunities for existing and new businesses to grow, to provide local jobs for our residents and our children to stay and raise their families, to make Somerset a sustainable region,” he said.
“We can harness the best that our rural sector can produce, at the same time as leveraging the natural beauty of our environment and showing this to the world through tourism.”
Cr Wendt described himself as “not your typical politician”, saying he was a doer and not just a talker while he was committed to “making Somerset a thriving region, while maintaining the rural amenity we all love”.
“I’ll continue to advocate for larger block sizes to be a viable option in any future developments to maintain our natural environment and rural lifestyle,” he said.
Cr Wendt stressed that just because a development style worked in the city, this didn’t mean it suited the Somerset region.
“Anyone who has been in business for a substantial amount of time realises that growth has to be balanced,” he said.
“While we can grow our region to accommodate the future, this has to be done in a way that keeps rates low.
“Roads are arguably the most essential service that needs to be maintained by council, and I’m committed to driving a proactive approach to road maintenance and upgrades.”
Cr Wendt declared he has the credentials and experience “to make real change for the future of Somerset”.
“A vote 1 for Jason Wendt for Mayor is a vote for action, not just words,” he said.
“I’ll be your voice to lead Somerset forward.”
