Councillors

Cr Col Meng

Mayor of Mackay Regional Council

Phone: 4961 9455

Email: col.meng@mackay.qld.gov.au

Portfolio

Chair of Council meetings

Background

Councillor Col Meng is the region’s inaugural Mayor of the Mackay Regional Council.

Cr Meng was educated in Mackay and has been an active member of Rotary. He started Meng Tyre Sales in 1982, building it up to employ 55 staff before selling the business in 2007.
He’s been a past President of the Mackay Chamber of Commerce, Mackay Golf Club and was Chairman of the Mackay Regional Area Consultative Committee for seven years. 

He is married to Rhonda and has two adult children.        

Cr Darryl Camilleri

Deputy Mayor

Mobile: 0408 151 031

Email: darryl.camilleri@mackay.qld.gov.au

Portfolio

Finance and Technology

• Organisation Development
• Financial and Information Services
• Procurement & Plant
• Asset Systems

Background

Councillor Camilleri, a chartered accountant, is in his first term of council. Appointed Deputy Mayor for the first two years of the new council, Darryl has served as Chairman for a number of community organisations. These include the Mackay Whitsunday Regional Economic Development Corporation (MWREDC), Mackay Chamber of Commerce and Mackay & District Health Council. 

He has had a long association with basketball and golf.

He is married to Dr Gillian Camilleri and has two sons.

Cr Wendy Cameron

Mobile: 0458 226 801

Email: wendy.cameron@mackay.qld.gov.au

Portfolio

Rural Communities

• Progress Committees and Service Clubs
• Engagements

Background

Councillor Cameron has more than 34 years experience as a secondary school teacher, who has been predominantly based at Pioneer High School during her career. As a past President of the Pioneer High P&C Association, she initiated the Pioneer Debutante Ball.

A 4WD and camping enthusiast, Cr Cameron enjoys taking in the wonderful attributes of the region as regularly as she can. 

She is married to local builder Bob and has three adult children.  

Cr Kevin Casey

Mobile: 0417 168 730

Email: kevin.casey@mackay.qld.gov.au

Portfolio

Roads and Infrastructure

• Drainage
• Capital Works
• Maintenance
• Technical Services

Background

Councillor Casey has lived in Mackay his entire life and this is his second term in council. Cr Casey brings experience in running a small electrical business and is an active member of sporting, cultural and church groups.

Cr Casey is a life member of the Mackay Hockey Association and Mackay Surf Life Saving Club.

He is married to Tricia and has two children. 

Cr George Christensen

Mobile: 0448 608 206

Email: george.christensen@mackay.qld.gov.au

Portfolio

Community Services and Facilities

• Customer Services
• Community Development
• Facilities
• Arts and Culture
• Housing

Background

Councillor Christensen previously served on the Mackay City Council. A fourth generation local, Cr Christensen hails from the rural parish of Te Kowai. An active member of the community, Cr Christensen was the foundation chairman of the Walkerston Community Kindergarten Association Inc and is a former chairman of HACC Transport Mackay Inc. 

Cr Christensen is an experienced journalist who previously owned and was editor of the Walkerston and Valley Advertiser and the Northern Beaches Advertiser newspapers.

Cr Deirdre Comerford

Mobile: 0419 028 016

Email: deirdre.comerford@mackay.qld.gov.au

Portfolio

Water & Waste Water Services

• Water & Wastewater Treatment
• Water & Wastewater Network
• Mackay Water Recycling Project
• Mackay Infrastructure Alliance
• Water & Wastewater Capital

Background

Cr Comerford has 12 years Local Government experience. She has served as State President of the Australian Local Government Women's Assoc and on the State and National Executives. Cr Comerford is a Life Member of Mackay Tourism and was instrumental in the establishment of the 10-bed Drug and Alcohol Residential facility in Mackay. 

Since returning to office in 2008, Cr Comerford became a member of the LGAQ Social Policy Reference Group, Regional Urban Water Taskforce, Mackay Whitsunday Regional Water Supply Strategy Management Committee, Mackay Water Recycling Project, council's Audit Committee, Economic Development Advisory Committee, Sustainable Futures Committee and Rural Affairs Advisory Committee. 

Married to Brett, they have two young children.

Cr Diane Hatfield

Mobile: 0417 790 812

Email: diane.hatfield@mackay.qld.gov.au

Portfolio

Planning and Development

• Strategic Planning
• Development Assessment
• Development Engineering

Background

Councillor Hatfield is a lifetime resident of Mackay, who has had a strong involvement in the Port of Mackay Rotary Club and as Chair of the Mackay Flagon and Dragon Club, which raises funds for the Mackay Hospital Children’s Ward. Cr Hatfield is on the Board at Whitsunday Anglican School and has been chair of the School’s Foundation since 2000. 

She is married and has a son and daughter, who both reside in the area.  

Cr Karen May

Mobile: 0419 669 134

Email: karen.may@mackay.qld.gov.au

Portfolio

Parks and Natural Environment

• Botanic Gardens
• Equipment
• Foreshores and Reserves
• Climate Change and Sustainability

Background

Councillor May has 8 years previous local government experience as a Councillor, Deputy Mayor and Mayor at Sarina Shire Council.  She is a member of the Mackay Whitsunday Ministerial Forum, President of Sartour (Sarina Tourism) and the Vice Chair of the Mackay Whitsunday Natural Resource Management Group.  Cr May holds a number of positions with various community organisations and is the Patron of  the Sarina Historical Centre and Scope Club of Sarina. 

Karen is married to John and has one son Gregory.

Cr Dave Perkins

Mobile: 0418 776 799

Email: david.perkins@mackay.qld.gov.au

Portfolio

Economic Development

• Tourism
• Regional Centres Revitalisation
• Shaping Mackay
• REDC

Background

This is Councillor Perkins second term on council. He has more than 37 years experience in the media industry and operated his own advertising company for 15 years. Cr Perkins  is a member of Mackay Tourism and is an adviser to or member of various community/service groups.

He is married to Tracy and they have three children.

Cr Paul Steindl

Mobile: 0403 266 216

Email: paul.steindl@mackay.qld.gov.au

Portfolio

Health, Sport and Recreation

• Sporting Facilities
• Health and Regulatory Services
• Aquatic Facilities

Background

Councillor Steindl has lived in Sarina his entire life and has eight years local government experience. He’s been a member of the State Emergency Service for over three decades and a member of the Counter Disaster Committee. Cr Steindl is a board member of the North Queensland Sports Foundation and the Mackay Whitsunday Coastal Management Plan. 

Married to Cheryl, they have two girls, Tyhleigha and Courtnee.

Cr Greg Thomsen

Mobile: 0408 076 470

Email: greg.thomsen@mackay.qld.gov.au

Portfolio

Waste

• Waste facilities and services
• Contract management
• Regional waste management strategy
• Waste education

Background

Councillor Greg Thomsen has eight years local government experience and is Chairman of the Pioneer Employment Service and ChancesR Recycling organization. He is the current secretary of the AMWU in Mackay. Cr Thomsen is a member of the Health Community Council and Chair of the Pine Islet Lighthouse Preservation Society Inc, and a member of council's Sustainability Committee. He is the Chairman of the Local Authority Waste Management Advisory Committee and a member of the Local Government Environmental Health Reference Group. He is also on the executive of the North Queensland Local Government Association.

He is married to Linda who has operated her own small business for 17 years.