John describes himself as an ‘ordinary working guy’ who feels the role of local government is to represent the views of the wider community about what they want their place to be and making sure the rates they pay are spent effectively.

John attributes his success to focusing on what the people want. "I’ve always tried to represent the people, not myself or any particular interest group and that is what I will be aiming for in the Lord Mayor’s Office”.

John is the Deputy Chairperson of Regional Development Australia and sits on many boards. He also chairs a number of Council committees, and is Patron to many worthwhile organisations.

Council of Capital City Lord Mayors Major Cities Working Group

Australia’s capital cities joined with major regional cities Newcastle, Geelong and the Gold Coast to form a major city working group that will dedicate itself to ensure a sustainable future for Australia’s cities.

At a meeting of the Council of Capital City Lord Mayors (CCCLM) in November 2009, the Lord Mayors unanimously agreed to form an alliance and working group to ensure that the Prime Minister’s call for the future of Australia’s cities to accommodate significant population growth is managed effectively.

The Lord Mayors and Mayors of Australia’s major cities moved to form the group to forge stronger links with the Commonwealth Government and to work closely with the Prime Minister to develop productive, affordable, liveable and sustainable cities.

Newcastle Lord Mayor John Tate was elected Chair of the Major Cities Working Group and Darwin Lord Mayor Graeme Sawyer was elected a Co-Chair.

This initiative will put the major capitals and regions at the forefront of the planning agenda which collectively represent a significant part of Australia’s population, urban infrastructure and environment. The approach will best prepare our nation for the anticipated population growth and will enable us to capture opportunities and meet future challenges.

The Lord Mayor can be contacted

Lord Mayor's Office
Level 2, City hall
Newcastle NSW 2300

Email: kmcpherson@ncc.nsw.gov.au

Telephone: 02 4974 2233
Fax: 02 4974 2202