Council & Politics
13 December, 2025
New mayor wants to leave legacy
“I like to think of myself as a straight up and down guy. I don’t like BS and like to get something started and finish it,” he said.
IT’S Graeme Milne’s hope that by finally succuming to pressure to take on the top job in Buloke, he can complete two things.
He wants to tie up any lose ends with projects that need finishing.
He also wants to change the image of Buloke Shire Council.
Because for him, this could be his last term on council.
“I absolutely love what I do,” he said.
“But I’m in my 60s now, I can’t do this forever.
“There’s other things to do in life, but there’s a few things I want to get done before I go.”
Cr Milne said the words of encouragement to take on Mayor, which he says he pushed aside for years, wasn’t the only pressure he’s had on him during his 13 years on council.
In fact, that’s how his whole career in local government started.
“I’m not sure I ever had the desire to join council,” Cr Milne said.
“But I was approached by Harold Flett and he assured me I should give it a go and I’d be good at it.
“And I’ve got a lot out of it.
“We’ve had our tough times, but I’m definitely enjoying what we’re doing and what we’ve been doing.”
Cr Milne said when he first started on council, the financial position it was in wasn’t positive.
“I’ve wanted to stay on in this role because when I started, council was in a very low period, we were in debt. A $7m debt,” he said.
“We’ve worked our way out of that. While a lot of people think we’re not solvant, we are very solvant and we have a lot to look forward to.”
Cr Milne said helping people around him, like he aims to do on council, is just in his blood.
“I’m a community person through and through,” he said.
“I was CFA Group Officer for a number of brigades for a long time and I’d say I’ve on just about every other committee you can poke a stick at.
“And as football club president, you meet people along the way.
“I’m passionate about the people.”
It was this love for people and customer service that lead him through his various working roles in real estate, livestock and farming.
Cr Milne says that comes from growing up a country boy - first born in Warracknabeal and moving across to Donald and then on to Watchem later on in life.
And it was those early years where he picked up the nickname that’s stuck with him ever since.
“Since about grade two at Watchem Primary School, I’ve been called Chunky,” he said.
“It’s because I had a bit of fat on me, and I guess I’ve carried it and that name around ever since.
“I used to be addressed by Chunky on bills and such, so I guess it’s just stuck.”
And while many in the Buloke communities know him by this nickname and know his face, Cr Milne said there was still work to be done in creating a positive aura around council itself.
“I want us to get away from some of the negativity we got from the monitor [Peter Harriott appointed by MP Melissa Horne to complete financial review],” he said.
“The perception was that things were wrong and we’re a basket case, but we’re looking to change that. We want people to know we hear them and see them.”
Cr Milne said the “new council” and staffing changes could go some of the way to doing that.
“We’ve got a new CEO and good directors,” he said. “We’re short on staff, but I like to think that over the next 12 months we can build the profile up again.”
Cr Milne said he hoped that by finishing off some projects around the region would make some difference too.
“I like to think of myself as a straight up and down guy. I don’t like BS and like to get something started and finish it,” he said.
“And with the way the government hands out money, we haven’t been able to do that.
“We’ve got projects hanging and dragging out for three or four years.
“Our roads are still suffering from the 2022/23 floods and we’re still waiting on $50m plus to come in. We’re getting dribbles of it, but not getting much.”
He said other projects on his list are completing streetscape works, finalising recreation reserve plans, addressing potential asbestos issues and working with the community to potentially reduce the number of council-owned assets.
Cr Milne said he wanted to see residents coming together to support one another when it comes to renewable energy.
“We’re going to struggle to get what we want out of this with the way [these organisations] operate,” he said.
“We need a lot of common sense to come into play to keep our communities holding together. We’ve got a hell of a battle ahead of us.”
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