Town Talk | Meet Fiona Le Gassick

And that wasn’t difficult at all; in fact, it was fun.

We were both hanging out for a coffee but we got talking you see, and laughing. And we forgot we were thirsty until eventually a lass came over to ask what we wanted. “Yes please, we want coffee.” Fiona had a hot chocolate. I haven’t mentioned this to her but I noticed, as I left the restaurant, that I had also forgotten to drink my coffee — a perfectly good mug of cappuccino, now cold!

In case you are thinking that if this lady is a lot of fun, perhaps she is also a lightweight, think again. She has tertiary qualifications in business, marketing, psychology, sociology, social work and leadership. She is more than qualified to run our city; fact is, she could probably run the United Nations!

Shepparton is home

Fiona was born in Melbourne. Her parents moved to Coffs Harbour, when she was about five years of age, for 12 months. The family then settled in Mildura where Fiona received most of her primary and secondary education.

She was inclined towards sport and competed in calisthenics, as well as playing netball and basketball. And, as an adult, she competed in triathlons and iron man competitions. Her first round of tertiary education was at La Trobe in Bendigo.

Her partner, at the time, had a job in Shepparton, which led them to moving here. Fiona loved the place because she loved the people they met. They were welcomed with warmth and affection and began to feel like family. It is likely that, from this beginning, Fiona’s love affair with Shepp began. She has lived elsewhere but says other communities don’t measure up to ours. She has tremendous faith in the people of Greater Shepparton, who she says never fail to step up to the plate when needed.

In fact, her first goal as chief executive involves the community; her second is in regard to the people who work for the city.

Her first job, locally, was with Goulburn Foster Care (Department of Human Services) as a foster care worker. Over time, she held a number of roles in Goulburn Foster Care, Department of Human Services and Berry Street Victoria, including a business development position.

This led to a management role at GOTAFE, which included business development, marketing and customer service — and this was followed by an appointment at our council as the first ever marketing manager. During her time at council, her role changed to having a focus on communications and engagement and she was acting director of community for several months.

In 2022, with her partner, Craig, she moved to Tasmania having accepted a position at TasTAFE. This is Tasmania’s only TAFE organisation and it delivers vocational education and training services state wide. She was director of future students and industry. However, during her time there, she was essentially deputy chief executive and was acting chief operating officer on several occasions and for extended periods.

However, as demanding and fulfilling as this work was, she still thought of Shepparton as ‘home’.

Motherhood

We talked, for a while, about being a parent and the joy of looking at your adult children and knowing they are worthwhile human beings; that, in addition to loving them, you also like and respect them as people.

Fiona has two children who now work locally. She is delighted about this. Shamus is a primary school teacher and Riley works in manufacturing.

Home life

Fiona’s partner is also a very busy person. Craig Chadwick is Commonwealth executive director of operations for Victoria and Tasmania for the Department of Health and Aged Care, including Australian National Aged Care Classification operations nationally.

How’s that title? Fiona had to give it to me twice for me to get it right!

As you can imagine, Craig is away from home at times.

I asked Fiona “What is fun for you?” (Yes, I really did ask a question or two.) She told me that, most mornings, she goes bike riding with friends and has breakfast afterwards. This, she said, was definitely fun.

Talking rubbish

I’ve mentioned to you previously that I had frequently put 40-plus disposable plates into landfill — because they were dirty. So, I asked the chief executive whether they could be recycled. She said it was okay to put stained used plates into mixed recycling, minus leftover food, of course. The residents of Greater Shepp are still learning, and I’m one of them.

My conclusion

Fiona is our first appointed female chief executive and has all the skills, qualifications, strengths and intelligence needed in that position. However, she is also warm, compassionate and easy to talk to. Her sense of humour, and wit, make her fun. I love that she loves Greater Shepp and our wonderful communities — because you always take great care of something you love.

Anyway, who else do you know who has entered iron man competitions?

As for me, I know for sure that my conversation with Fee is far from over.

Increase in burial costs

So, the cost to bury a loved one in Shepparton has gone up by a staggering 550 per cent — and no-one is talking. (It is a bit more than that actually, but my mathematical abilities are limited.)

The leader of the Liberal Party is on television news frequently, telling us about the many Labor Party mistakes. But, about this incredible money grab, he is silent. In order to ease your concerns, I have emailed John Pesutto and several others — with no response. I have even emailed Channel 7, asking why this isn’t a story, and no reply. From a chat with one of our local representatives I learned that this debacle is state-wide — but that was all I learnt. So, I’ve called people in other regional cities, and they’ve heard nothing about it. Either their local daily hasn’t informed them or they don’t read it.

In Victoria, approximately 42,000 people die each year. Some of them choose to use a crematorium (which Shepp doesn’t have). Rough calculations tell me that this could bring in an additional $100 million — probably more. Of course, Victoria is a basket case and we all know it — but where is this money coming from? It is the bereaved and the elderly who are ‘donating’ funds to save a hopeless government — a government demonstrating a complete lack of compassion or understanding. People will now have to find an additional $2826 each for burial costs.

Maybe, despite my years, I remain somewhat naïve about Australian governments. I still believe that the people who stand to represent us are fundamentally good and have our best interests at heart. However, when the party leader controls how they vote and how they behave, we don’t get true representation, do we? Who in this state is standing up for the people?

This is silent theft — so why aren’t the conservative parties telling us about it? I am reaching a conclusion I don’t like at all. Please, please, will someone tell me I’m wrong!

I wasn’t fishing

Thank you for your kindness, but — truly — I wasn’t fishing for response when I thanked you all for putting up with me.

I had just written about gratitude (yet again) and felt enormous appreciation for your tolerance — so I wrote it. However, when the first text message arrived, I was embarrassed, which is why you got very short replies.

Ancient Rome

I am currently reading , yet again, Colleen McCullough’s six magnificent books, which make up her Masters of Rome series — totalling around 4200 pages. As Ancient Rome fascinates me, I feel a story coming on. I will be stepping a mere 16,000 km from Shepparton and back in time by 2100 years — but don’t panic — it is only in my head. When I do write it down, I’ll save it until many of you are on holidays, let’s say December 31 or maybe Christmas Eve. Who is reading Town Talk on Christmas Eve? — and, anyway, I can’t think of anything to say about Christmas that I haven’t said three times already.

Some of you will remember that I found a hard-cover version of The First Man in Rome — the first of the series — which I had originally bought as a paperback. Who on earth puts 700 pages into a paperback and expects it to last for ever? And I found what I had been searching for in our wonderful little shop The Book Inn. It was priced at $2. I found one online recently priced at $210; you could say I got a bargain.

Why am I fascinated, all over again? Because this wonderful city/state had a version of the MCG which seated 1500 people comfortably or 2000 if necessary. Because they built apartment blocks of 12 storeys; because they had indoor toilets and under-floor heating; because they worshipped eight gods; because they had an effective system of government — magnificent, sordid, enlightened, merciless Rome — masters of most of the known world. And, what happened to this advanced civilisation? I’ll tell you one day in December — a couple of you might be interested.

Until next week, may it be easy, my friends.

Marnie

Email: towntalk@sheppnews.com.au

Letter: Town Talk. The News. P.O. Box 204. Shepparton 3631.

Phone: Send a text to 0418 962 507. (Note: text only. I will call you back if you wish.)