Two nominations have been received for the Warwick area and a ballot paper is being sent to each brigade secretary in the Warwick area, today. Thankyou RFSQ for providing the latest secretaries mailing list.
The closing date for the receipt of ballots by the returning officer is 13th July.
The ballot envelopes will be opened and counted at 8.30am on 17th July by Hon Tony Perrett MP, Minister for Primary Industries and Member for Gympie.
The two candidates for Warwick are (the RFBAQ By-Law No.1 states names must appear in alphabetical order):
Patricia Bates – Mallow Rural Fire Brigade
James Massey OAM – Sugarloaf Rural Fire Brigade
The candidate’s biographies will be included in the ballot paper envelope and are below:
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Patricia Bates
I joined Mallow Rural Fire Brigade on the 19/12/2016. In January of the following year I was elected secretary of the brigade and have held this position ever since. In 2023 my husband and myself attended the volunteer summit at the Sunshine Coast. I learnt so much from this summit, It was very informative very much full on but by the same token very informative I left feeling that I had an insurmountable wealth of knowledge from this. My husband is first officer and divisional commander and also on the consultative committee in Toowoomba. As we are both retired I feel I can devote as much time as necessary to this position. I feel this is a very important position I can give back to the community and the brigade everything that I learn in this role. I am always available to help our members, from helping them fill in their nomination form to join the brigade also applying for their blue cards.
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James Massey OAM
I joined the Rural Fire Service in NSW at Liston in 1973 at the age of 22.
I was a fire fighter with Liston from 1973 till 1994.
We sold our property in NSW in 1992 and bought a new home in Sugarloaf area in the Stanthorpe Shire in 1992.
A number of us decided we should start a Rural Fire Brigade, of which I was a Foundation Member of Sugarloaf Rural Fire Brigade in 1994.
I was Brigade Chairman 2004 and 2005 and 2007 till 2010.
Elected an Officer in 2001-2010. Elected First Officer 2010 till 2025.
Elected Secretary & Deputy Group Officer in 2016-2018.
Reelected as Deputy Group Officer and Treasurer in 2018 and 19.
I was appointed to the Operational Strategic Working Group in 2015 and remained on the Board until it was dismantled in 2024.
I was awarded the Order of Australia Medal in 2020 for my service to Emergency Response Organisations.
I was OIC at the Wallangarra Fire in February 2019.
I was Air Base Manager in charge of water bombing at Stanthorpe Aerodrome for 6 Days in September 2019.
I was one of the first Air Observers for South West Queensland from 2008 until 2019.
I assisted in training Stanthorpe State High School year 11 students in Certificate 2 Fire Fighting for 10 years from 2010 till 2019. We trained 16 students for 18 weeks.
I believe with my extensive background in many facets of the Rural Fire Service I will be able to assist Brigades as your RFBAQ Representative.
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If you have any queries, please contact the RFBAQ Returning Officer, Justin Choveaux on gm@rfbaq.org or 0428218507
