Tom Gilmore has taken the helm of the Tablelands Regional Council. It's a job the former state politician takes on with excitement but also a great deal of trepidation. Jennifer Eliot reports

f there was ever a name synonymous with politics on the Tableland it would have to be Gilmore.

The Gilmore men have marched a path through local, state and federal politics since 1926 and have a swag of firsts to their name.

Tom Gilmore’s grandfather became the first member for Leichhardt in 1949 and on March 16, 2008, the former Tableland member and Mareeba Shire councillor became the first Tableland mayor.

But despite many years of local and state government experience under his belt, Mr Gilmore knows uniting a divided Tableland, especially in the wake of its forced amalgamation, is vital.

"I am extremely proud and deeply humbled to be given this quite extraordinary and historic role but there is no time to be gung-ho," says Tom.

"It is a time to be sober and careful and to give great consideration about what lies ahead.

"I have been given a challenge and we simply must not fail because it could lead to a generation of discord."

When the state Government dropped the amalgamation bombshell last year, Mareeba, Atherton, Eacham and Herberton Shires all fought to retain independence.

To some extent, the southern Tableland shires could grapple with a three-way merger but when Mareeba was thrown in the mix, the communities were dumbfounded.

Ironing out the discord between the uniquely individual regions was Tom’s catch call throughout his campaign for mayor.

His mantra was simple – communication is the key and failure not an option.

Now he is in the hot seat he has a plan.

"There are a number of very large challenges," Tom says.

"The first is to build a sense of community because all the different regions on the Tableland have been so divided.

"We have to rebuild the confidence of the staff – I want to hear people laugh, because a happy workforce is a productive workforce and we also need to build a community outside the council.

"I want to turn this area into a truly regional community.

"One where we understand each other’s differences and needs."

Tom says he loves the stiff competition the region shows on the sporting field, but he has no intention of suffering it at a governance level.

"I don’t want any shouting over unofficial boundaries," he said.

"We have an obligation to the community to get it right and with the help of the community and our diverse mix of councillors, we can get it right.

"We have a great team of people that have come together with nothing in common but a desire to serve.

"The potential is there in my view for a productive and successful council that will reflect the wants and needs of the community."

Tom’s not out to chase the glory for himself and is convinced his team has the smarts to turn the amalgamation into a success.

And for that he plans to draw on his newly elected councillors and his local and state government experience and the "wonderful and hard working Tableland Regional Council staff".

But he has one other draw card – a woman’s touch.

"At 16 I decided I would have a political career and by the time I was 20 I was clear about what I wanted," he said.

"My father was a politician but it was my mother, who had a deep social conscious that influenced me the most, and I think because of her I wanted to serve the community."

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