Power play for a day

By Kath Gannaway
HEALESVILLE High School student Robert Cameron had a taste of life in the municipal fast lane last week and he carried out his role with remarkable aplomb.
The easy-going year seven student was chosen as the Shire of Yarra Ranges Mayor for a Day as part of the shire’s National Youth Week celebrations.
The idea was initiated by mayor Monika Keane and the shire’s Youth Services team.
The Mail caught up with Robert and Cr Keane as they launched a lunch time music event at Healesville High School and enjoyed a sausage sizzle which were both part of Robert’s prize for winning Mayor for a Day.
“Robert’s first request was to sit in the mayors’ chair, answering the phone but avoiding making any big decisions and he wanted to write his own absent note to excuse himself from school,” Cr Keane said – all, plus a meeting at Youth Services, achieved before lunchtime.
A visit to the Animal Aid at Coldstream to donate the proceeds of two more of Robert’s initiatives, a free dress day for students and the sausage sizzle, came next ahead of two door-stop interviews with local media, a meeting the Shire CEO Rob Hauser and department directors and a council dinner and forum.
Among Robert’s ‘what I would do if I were mayor’ wish-list was providing fresh fruit at the shire’s skate parks and to provide free home care to aged and disabled residents.
“I tried to cover everyone from kids to aged people,” Robert said with the insight of a budding councillor at election time.
While Robert declared that he was pretty much sailing through all the demands of mayordom, Cr Keane, suffering from an unforgiving bout of flu, was looking like she could very gladly have handed the mayoral robes to Robert for at least the next few days.
“The tight schedule we’ve been through today pretty much reflects what the mayor does every day,” Cr Keane snuffled, “the only difference is that Robert will get to finish at 7.30 tonight, and we’ll still be going at 10.30.”