When Councillor Christine Paine decided not to recontest her position at the recent Council election, it signalled the end of an era. The feisty, stylish, ever-present councillor left a unique stamp on our district’s public life.
When the Gazette asked her what she’d achieved over the quarter century she’s been on Hawkesbury Council, only a handful of things sprang to mind, but other people were more verbose.
Riverstone MP and former Hawkesbury councillor Kevin Conolly worked with Christine for many years on Council. “Christine and I were often on opposite sides of the argument but I was impressed by her passion for the Hawkesbury and her depth of involvement in the community,” he said. “She was a capable advocate for the causes she took up, and a significant force on Council. 25 years is a long time.”
Alan Aldrich of Hawkesbury Camera Club who worked on Council’s Equity and Access committee with her leapt at the chance to comment. He said when Christine took the committee over in the early 90s it only met three times a year. It then started meeting monthly.
“She devoted her whole being to it. She was tremendous!” he said vehemently. “She worked and worked and worked to get things done. She’s one of the most fantastic people I’ve ever had to work with.
“There were just so many things she worked with us on. We fronted a couple of bank managers in Windsor about why there was no disabled access. Westpac took note but the National never did. We interviewed the doctor’s surgery in Kable Street about disabled parking options. She also made sure all picnic tables installed in parks from then on were accessible [for disabled people].”
Former Gazette editor Paul Roberts had strong memories of her. “She was a leader, not a follower. She never shirked her duty – we even had her breasts on the front page of the paper!” he said with smile. He obligingly elaborated she was having a mammogram to promote breastscreening.
“It was just one of many things where she’d put herself forward to make a point,” he said. “It typified what she was about. She always worked towards a better standard of living for the Hawkesbury, not just Windsor. With some counciillors it’s all one way, but she’d always listen to both sides of the debate which gave her a better understanding. She’s a good lady.”
She has always been an active part of the local arts community. Windsor artist Greg Hansell has known her since before she was on Council, and remembered two anecdotes.
“She was just a gem,” he said. “We did a charity thing for St John of God when they needed a new roof. It was a dinner for hundreds of people and we raised about 40 grand. And that was before she was on Council. Also when Susan Templeman lost her home in the bushfires – she had a whole art collection and she lost the lot. Christine rang around all the local artists and asked if we could donate her a painting – there were about 10 or 12 paintings given to her.”
Christine stood down from Council before the election, but the last few years on it were hard for her.
“I’ve felt that the last four, or eight years even, have been a total waste because of how Council was structured and the limits they put on me,” she said. “I was taken off all the committees. You lose enthusiasm and I found it terribly frustrating. I felt Council wasn’t going anywhere.
“When you get one councillor saying loudly, about the independents debating a topic, “just let them all talk as we’ll vote on it and we’ll win it anyway”, there was no respect for councillors who were individuals or independents.
“They [Liberal councillors] took all the committee positions and one by one they dropped off them. In the previous council I was on Wespool (an insurance entity created by 12 councils self-insuring together). But because I wasn’t allowed to go on committees I couldn’t go to it anymore. My substitute on that committee has been to one meeting in the last year.
“Councillors who put themselves forward and then don’t go to committee meetings, don’t go to Council briefings and leave early from Council meetings – it’s just not good enough. If you’re representing the Hawkesbury community, you’re not giving it your best shot.”
“I’m hopeful after seeing the results of the election that councillors will work much more closely together and I plead with them to do so, so the benefits can roll back to the Hawkesbury people.”
Which councillors has she admired over the years?
“Wendy Sledge, Hugh Williams, who was an architect and taught me about planning issues and importance of good planning. I really enjoyed working with Mary Buckett – she’s a smart, clever lady who is there for the right reasons, not just using it as a stepping stone to further a potential political career.
Also Leigh Williams – he wore his heart on his sleeve and didn’t hold back from saying exactly what he thought. And Patrick Conolly – the start of our relationship was rocky after he moved that I not be on Council committees, but I’ve worked with him closely for the last two years and I have a great deal of respect for him. I found him to be a young man of high intelligence who spoke his own mind and wasn’t being led by the nose.”
What was the worst thing from her time there?
“There were two worst moments – one was when I saw councillors passing something around after a Council meeting and sniggering – they wouldn’t show me what it was. I found out it was a nude photo with my head stuck on it. It was just after [former mayor] Wendy Sledge left. She was the best mayor I’ve worked with.
“The other worst time was the street trees at Kurrajong. Council cut down liquidambars which had been planted by a resident’s mother and I said it was wrong in front of a TV camera. Council went for me [citing the Code of Conduct]. The big thing that came out of it was the community support for me, but I was terribly disappointed that Council tried to crucify me and cost the ratepayers an estimated $100,000.
“During the hard times on Council I sought counsel from [Blacktown mayor] Alan Pendleton. We were on the Western Sydney Waste Board together. He came here and we sat and drank tea on the verandah and he used to tell me ‘If you don’t treat this as a game, it will drive you mad!’. But you still have to take it seriously, and you have to have the thickest skin. If you let it get to you, you’ll become a mess quite quickly.”
What were some of the best things she’s done?
“Early on I pushed to have some rural land studies undertaken to put a value on them for the community. I’ve always thought it was great we were on a floodplain as it would keep the bastards at bay [developers]. One study was done but it wasn’t a full one and wasn’t binding. Some of the large holdings around Kurrajong are going to be developed,” she said, shaking her head.
“I also found the money in one of the budgets to start sealing St Albans Road. We put that in the budget that we continue to seal a kilometre a year and eventually it was all sealed. The government put some money in to finish it. [Overall] it took eight or nine years.”
Another thing she was proud of was bringing breastscreening to the Hawkesbury, which she received a lot of support for from the community. A permanent spot was needed for the van, and in two weeks she brokered a spot at Hawkesbury Hospital and pulled in community contacts who donated their time and materials to make the concrete pad.
“I was chairman of the Equity and Access committee for around 20 years. We did the access maps [toilet and accessibility maps for people with disabilities] for Windsor and Richmond, and I feel gratitude to Ken Ferris and Alan Aldrich who worked with me on that.”
She said Council also has to run more like a business. “We can’t have buildings lying vacant like the restaurant in Macquarie Park by the river at Windsor, the former bridal hire building in George Street, Windsor – they should be commercially rented.
“Since Council became political it’s been difficult to make changes that weren’t based on major party lines.”
So why go now?
“There’s got to be a sunset clause in everything – 25 years is enough!” she said with a smile. “I think there IS life outside Council. It’s been an honour and a privilege to be chosen to be a representative on Council for 25 years. At the last couple of elections I topped the personal poll – the first preferences under the line. It’s great to know I had that level of community support.”
But she wasn’t happy at how her last Council meeting was conducted.
“I think it’s very sad that people can be in an organisation for 25 years and not be acknowledged at their last meeting. Me, Leigh Williams, Warwick Mackay – we were the three leaving with the longest time on Council – there was no acknowledgement at all from the Mayor or acting general manager. No thank you for our efforts of a combined 62 years. That was the calibre of that Council.
Is she sad at going?
“I’m not feeling how I thought I’d feel – I thought I’d be sad.” She’s had what she called a “horror year”, losing her much-loved husband of 33 years, John, and nursing a daughter with a badly broken leg.
“Losing John has affected me much more than I thought it would. He was just such a lovely man. Sometimes I’d spot him in the audience at Council and I’d ask him after why he was there and he’d say ‘I just wanted to see what they’d do to you tonight’. Now I don’t have that back up.
“I think this Council will be able to do so much more than the last Council and I look forward to seeing what they achieve. I might go along to the first meeting to see who becomes mayor,” she said with a twinkle in her eye.
How would she like to be remembered?
“I’d like to be remembered as a councillor who was passionate about the Hawkesbury and its people, who was approachable, fair and a good listener. I would also like to publicly thank the Gazette for always being able to pick up a good story and to inform the community about [Council’s] goings on.
“I’ve really enjoyed the 25 years. They were 25 years of pleasure and involvement with the community I love. It’s given back to me more than I put in. Over the last month I can’t believe the love people have shown me when they heard I wasn’t standing.”
What would she like to have achieved but didn’t?
“I’d love to have achieved more for Windsor – it’s a sad place. I tried six months ago to get the mall opened. We don’t seem to value heritage here.
What does she think about the new Council being half women?
“I’m pleased we’ve got 50 per cent women. I hope they can work together, and if they can, what a difference it will make. Women are more compassionate, realistic, and good managers. They’re also well-grounded. It could be a plus for the community. To the men I say please include the women.”
