Picture: SANDRA MORELLO
GRANT District elected member Julie Reis has stepped away from her position after serving more than nine years with the rural council.
Dr Reis – who is also a popular senior lecturer at the University of South Australia Mount Gambier campus – is relocating to Port Macquarie to take up a new opportunity within the tertiary sector.
The well known identity has been instrumental in building the nursing teaching program at the Mount Gambier campus.
Known as a passionate and hard-working councillor, Dr Reis said she had always strived to put the community first in all her decisions within the Grant District Council chamber.
“It was a really hard decision to make to relocate, I did shed a few tears. I really love the Mount Gambier and Grant District community,” she said.
“I love where I live – I love the people and community.”
Dr Reis said it had been a “privilege and honour” to represent the community, particularly the central ward.
“The whole reason why I became a councillor was to get the community voice out there,” she said.
But she conceded some decisions had not been “easy or popular.”
“Some decisions – whether you like it or not – you have to wear because that is the decision of council – you have to go along with it and hold that party line,” Dr Reis said.
“You are basing decisions on the best available information you have in front of you at the time.”
In fact, Dr Reis was the youngest councillor to be elected on council during her inaugural term.
She cited the foreshore development at Port MacDonnell as among the highlights of the council’s achievement.
“I think the council has also been at the forefront of a lot of issues, including the forward sale of the forests – the protests were full in swing when I started,” she said.
Dr Reis said her initial journey onto council stemmed from getting involved in community issues.
“We were trying to look at the speed limits and traffic around Moorak where I lived,” she explained.
“Myself and my neighbours started a petition. When I moved onto Wynham Road, it was still a single lane road and there were safety issues.
“We had the road widened and the speed limit reduced to 80kph.”
Given her extensive nursing background, Dr Reis was particularly passionate about issues relating to “health, training and education”.
Dr Reis also joined the Moorak Hall committee because she was a new resident in the Mount Gambier district.
“I grew up in Albury-Wodonga, but I moved here from Central Queensland. I moved here to take up the job with UniSA.
“I did not know anybody when I arrived. I joined the Moorak Hall committee because it helped me meet people and become part of the local community.”
An emotional Dr Reis revealed the “community had become her family.”
“It was not an easy decision to relocate. Given the pace of my relocation, I have had to step down sooner rather than later,” he said.
Dr Reis said she had accepted an exciting opportunity with Charles Sturt University as a senior lecturer at the Port Macquarie campus.
With a sentimental link with the Mount Gambier UniSA campus, Dr Reis was the first full time lecturer when the campus opened 14 years ago.
Over her time with the leading university, Dr Reis has helped hundreds of students obtain their nursing degree and achieve their educational goals.
“The UniSA campus in Mount Gambier has a really strong reputation in delivering the nursing program,” she said.
“The university has achieved 100pc graduate employment – our graduates are highly sought after.”
Dr Reis said the success of the program was due to the staff, the facilities and the supportive culture at the campus.
“We know all of our students individually. It is about being on campus and having the ability to be personable,” she added.
The university has also built strong partnerships with regional hospitals to help deliver these courses.
“My attachment to the university here is very strong.”
Dr Reis has also been a member of the Rotary Club.
