About me
I’m Launceston born and raised, and for as long as I can remember, people and community have been at the centre of my life.
I grew up in a hardworking family where faith and church were a big part of our lives. My parents taught me the importance of showing up, working hard, treating people with respect, and looking out for others. We didn’t always have everything, but I learned early that what you give to the people around you matters far more than what you have.
Those values have stayed with me.
Music and theatre became a massive chapter of my life. What started with performing as a kid grew into a professional career that took me around Australia and eventually to *The Voice Australia* in 2014 and *The Voice Australia* Allstar status in 2019.
Performing gave me opportunities I never imagined growing up in Launceston, but more importantly, it shaped me. It taught me confidence, creativity, discipline, and resilience. How to take a risk, handle a knockback, work with all sorts of people and above all, the importance of connection.
But no matter where it took me, I kept coming home. Launceston was where I wanted to build my life.
For almost eight years I also worked in local radio with LAFM and Chilli FM, with much of my role focused on community engagement.
That put me right in the middle of Launceston. At events, schools, sporting clubs, fundraisers, businesses and community organisations, meeting people from every corner of our municipality and hearing what they loved about our city, what frustrated them and what they believed it could become.
The more immersed I became in our community, the more I realised I didn’t just want to talk about Launceston’s future. I wanted to help shape it.
So, in 2022, I put my hand up for Council. I was elected Councillor and Deputy Mayor, and in 2023 became publicly elected Mayor.
It wasn’t a career path I had mapped out. In many ways, it was simply the next chapter in a life that had always revolved around people and community.
Every part of that life shapes the way I lead today.
With my wife, Michelle, by my side through thick and thin, we also welcomed Billie in 2023 and Melody in 2026. Being a husband and a dad has given me an even greater stake in our city’s future. This isn’t simply where I grew up. It’s where we’re raising our girls, and where I want them to have every opportunity to build a great life of their own.
My upbringing taught me service, hard work, and compassion. Performing taught me confidence, creativity, and resilience. Radio taught me to listen, communicate, and connect with people from every walk of life. Marriage and fatherhood have made me think deeply about the city we’re building for the next generation.
And being Mayor has reinforced my belief that leadership isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about listening, bringing people together, making informed decisions, taking responsibility and never losing sight of who you’re there to represent.
I want Launceston to be a city where people feel connected and proud to belong. A city that backs its people and good ideas, celebrates who we are, creates opportunity and gives our kids every reason to build their future right here.
I’m not a career politician, and I never want to become one.
I’m a husband, a dad, a community bloke, and someone who absolutely loves this city.
I’m just a guy who believes deeply in Launceston, it's people and it's future and I simply want to use everything life has taught me to help make our city the best it can be.
And I genuinely believe our best days are still ahead of us.