Retirement plans: Dardanup Shire president Mick Bennett will step down at October elections

After 28 years of serving the local community, a South West shire president has announced his departure from politics, with plans to retire at the next Local Government election.

Dardanup Shire President Mick Bennett will step down from the top job at the October, 2023 Local Government elections.

First elected to council in 1991, he served five years as a councillor, three years as Deputy Shire President and two separate 10-year stints as Shire President, with a four-year break from council between 2005 and 2009.

Deputy Shire President Tyrrell Gardiner said Cr Bennett had led the community through a period of exponential growth, and understood the true values of local government.

He also praised Cr Bennett’s “make it happen” attitude, saying this trait had placed the outgoing shire president as a driving force behind multiple shire, community and regional projects.

“His high level of commitment to council, the community and his duties over an extended period of time is without question,” Cr Gardiner said.

“Cr Bennett’s skills as an advocate, mediator, collaborator and communicator across various levels of government and community have resulted in the realisation of many significant community facilities.”

These milestone projects include the Eaton Recreation Centre, Eaton Football and Softball Pavilions, the new Eaton Skatepark, Eaton Bowling Club & Senior Citizen’s Centre, Wells Recreation Changerooms, plus the Library, Administration and Community Centre currently under construction,” Cr Gardiner said.

He has also been instrumental in plans for the shire’s new city of Wanju, the next step in Dardanup’s residential development.

Cr Bennett has also served on various regional groups and demonstrated his passion across the broader South West with a particular focus on the Bunbury Geographe area.