Troy Pickard

Troy Pickard
Mayor of the City of Joondalup
His Worship the Mayor
In office
6 May 2006 – 21 October 2017
Preceded byCouncil Suspended
Succeeded byAlbert Jacob
President of WALGA
In office
7 April 2010 – 1 July 2015
Preceded byBill Mitchell
Succeeded byLynne Craigie
President of ALGA
In office
12 November 2014 – 12 November 2016
Preceded byFelicity-ann Lewis
Succeeded byDavid O’Loughlin
Personal details
Born
Troy Ernest Pickard

18 January 1973
Died11 January 2022, age 48
Political partyLiberal Party
Children3
EducationThe Hutchins School
Alma materEdith Cowan University, University of Western Australia
OccupationPolitician, businessman
AwardsSee all

Troy Ernest Pickard (18 January 1973 – 11 January 2022)[1] was an Australian local government politician and businessman.[2][3][4] He was the mayor of the City of Joondalup from 2006 to 2017, deputy mayor of the City of Stirling from 2001 to 2005, president of the Western Australian Local Government Association from 2010 to 2015, and president of the Australian Local Government Association from 2014 to 2016.

Pickard is widely recognised as a prominent advocate and a transformative figure in local government.[5][6][7] As Mayor of Joondalup, he played a pivotal role in shaping the city’s growth, leading major infrastructure projects and fostering strong community engagement.[8][9][7] During his tenure as president of WALGA, he opposed the Western Australian Government's proposals for forced council amalgamations[10][11][12] and highlighted the importance of cooperation between state and local governments to ensure effective and sustainable reforms.[10] At the national level, as president of ALGA, he successfully led campaigns to restore the indexation of federal Financial Assistance Grants after they had been frozen by the federal government in 2014 and secured a record $1.1 billion in Roads to Recovery funding, the largest single federal funding injection for local government in Australia at the time.[6]

Political career

City of Stirling

Pickard started out in local government in 2001, elected to the coastal ward of the City of Stirling. There, he was deputy mayor.

He left the City of Stirling in 2005.[13][14]

City of Joondalup

In May 2006, Pickard was elected as the third mayor of the City of Joondalup at the age of 33, he was the youngest mayor in WA and one of the youngest in Australia at the time.[15][16] He won 15% of the vote, and beat ten other candidates.[15] This was three years after the previous Joondalup council had been sacked. Between December 2003 and his election in May 2006, the City of Joondalup was controlled by state government appointed commissioners.[17] He was re-elected in 2009, gaining 54% of the vote and beating two other candidates, and in 2013, gaining 57% of the vote and beating one other candidate.[14][15] Although he initially said he would recontest the 2017 election,[15] he eventually chose not to.[18] He was succeeded as mayor by former state government minister Albert Jacob.[19]

Under Pickard's leadership, Joondalup experienced significant economic development. In 2014, he announced that over $1 billion had been invested in the city within a single year, reinforcing its status as Western Australia's "second CBD" and attracting new business and investment to the northern corridor. [20]

In 2015, Pickard announced the Tri-Cities Alliance, a collaboration between the Cities of Joondalup, Stirling and Wanneroo. The alliance aimed to coordinate regional development, promote economic growth and advocate for infrastructure investment. It lobbied the federal government to invest in the area, highlighting the region’s potential as a major population and economic hub.[21][22] The alliance also focused on attracting investment, creating job opportunities, supporting improvements to transport, healthcare and educational infrastructure to meet the needs of the growing community.[23][24]

Pickard was instrumental in many major infrastructure projects. He championed the investment of almost $20 million in new community facilities and negotiated the $4 million investment into the State Government owned and operated HBF Arena. Pickard also helped secure State Government support for the Ocean Reef Marina, a $120 Million initiative aimed at transforming the Ocean Reef Boat Harbour into a vibrant marine precinct. He also lobbied for commitments for other key projects including the Joondalup Performing Arts and Cultural Facility, Coastal Kiosks/Cafes and the development of the City of Joondalup's Central Business District. [25][26][27][28][29][30]

The City of Joondalup undertook other significant projects during his tenure, such as the Warwick Hockey Centre (Later renamed the Troy Pickard Hockey Centre), a $6.3 million facility featuring international-standard pitches and clubroom facilities, which became a hub for hockey in the northern suburbs.[31]

In 2011, the City of Joondalup was named the “World’s Most Liveable City” at the UN-endorsed International Awards for Liveable Communities (for Cities with a population from 150,000 to 400,000).[32][33][34]

WALGA

In 2007, Pickard was elected deputy president of the Western Australian Local Government Association (WALGA).[35] On 7 April 2010, Pickard was elected as the president of WALGA, after previous president Bill Mitchell resigned.[35][36]

This period is marked by significant challenges for the local government sector, and Pickard's leadership was instrumental in navigating the complexities of local government reform and financial sustainability. Although WALGA initially supported the state government's proposals for forced council amalgamations[37], Pickard became a vocal opponent[38], arguing that the reforms lacked adequate funding and could place undue strain on councils.[39][40][41] He also fiercely defended local government against criticism from the state, rejecting claims that councils were a major source of corruption and emphasising the need for collaboration and consultation rather than top-down mandates.[39] Pickard advocated for sustainable local government through integrated planning, shared services, targeted training, and other sector-led initiatives.[39]

Pickard's tenure also coincided with a period of "reform fatigue" within the sector. Many councils and shires were feeling exhausted following extensive sustainability reviews and community consultations. Pickard acknowledged these challenges and advocated for a reassessment of the reform agenda, emphasising the need for policies that were both effective and considerate of the capacities of local councils.[42]

He stayed in his role at WALGA until 1 July 2015, wanting to stay until the end of the state government's local government mergers.[43]

ALGA

On 12 November 2014, Pickard was elected president of the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA), becoming the first Western Australian to hold the position in 30 years.[44][45][46] His election coincided with a period of concern within the local government sector over federal funding cuts, particularly the freeze on Financial Assistance Grants (FAGs), which collectively affected councils by $925 million through 2017–18.[47]

As President of the Australian Local Government Association, Pickard was a member of the Council of Australian Governments (COAG), which comprised of the Prime Minister, Premiers and Chief Ministers of the states and territories, and the ALGA President.[48][49][50]

Pickard successfully led ALGA’s campaign to restore the indexation of Financial Assistance Grants, controversially frozen by the Coalition government in 2014. ALGA’s success in securing an extra $1.105 billion in Roads to Recovery funding in June 2015 – the biggest single funding injection local government had received from the Federal government to that time – was another highlight of Mr Pickard’s term as president.[6][51]

As ALGA President, he advocated for the interests of councils nationwide, emphasising the importance of securing adequate federal funding and representing regional issues. His leadership was described as reflecting the growing significance of Western Australia in national local government discussions and his ability to synthesise the challenges and capabilities of local communities to negotiate outcomes with the federal government.[52][53]

On 12 November 2016, Pickard left his role as president of ALGA after serving one term.[54]

Private sector

Prior to local government, Pickard was the sales manager for Metso Minerals (Asia Pacific) where he was responsible for the successful reconfiguration of the distribution network in the region.[55]

Pickard was also a Senior Project Director at The Right Group from 2004 - 2005.[55]

In June 2016, Pickard founded Franchise Fusion Group, which was the Western Australian master franchisee of the Bucking Bull roast meat restaurant chain.[56] In late 2017, Pickard opened a nitro coffee shop named Primal Pantry in Brookfield Place.[57] Primal Pantry was operated by a subsidiary of Franchise Fusion Group. By January 2020, Franchise Fusion Group and its subsidiaries were in liquidation, with over $1 million of creditor claims.[58]

He was later the General Manager for Global Drone Solutions.[55]

Controversies

In April 2012, fellow Joondalup councillor Brian Corr accused Pickard of assault during a council meeting on 3 April.[59] The police investigation was concluded in June 2012, with no charges laid.[60]

In January 2018, Pickard was charged with assault, with police alleging he threw a cup of coffee at his neighbour's face.[61][62] In March 2019, he went on trial,[63] and in April 2019, he was acquitted, with CCTV unable to show whether Pickard's neighbour had sprayed him with a hose in the moments before.[64][65] Pickard went on to lash the WA Police, and said that his case had highlighted the "corruption" within their ranks. He said, "Today I stand here after working collaboratively with the police service for some 15 years with absolute no respect or no confidence in the West Australian police service".[66][67][68]

Death

Pickard died suddenly on 11 January 2022, at the age of 48.[26][69][70][71][72]

Honours and Awards

In 2002, Pickard became a Fellow of the Australian Marketing Institute for his contribution to the marketing profession.[2]

In 2012, Pickard was one of 77 mayors worldwide nominated for the World Mayor Award.[73]

Local Government Medal (2022, posthumously): Awarded by the Western Australian Local Government Association (WALGA) to recognise exceptional service, achievements and contributions to the local government sector.[74]

Honorary Life Membership (2022, posthumously): Also conferred by WALGA, this honour acknowledges outstanding service and contributions to WALGA and its members over an extended period.[74][75]

Family Values Award (2014): Presented by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Anglican Church, recognising leaders and members of the community who help strengthen families and promote traditional family values.[76]

Business News 40under40 Award (2002 & 2007): Honoured twice for excellence in business and leadership among young professionals in Western Australia.[2][77][78][79]

In 2022, WALGA established the Troy Pickard Young Achievers Award. This award recognises individuals aged 35 years or under who have made notable contributions to local government and demonstrated potential for professional excellence.[80][81][82][83]

In December 2022, the City of Joondalup council voted to rename the Warwick Hockey Centre to the Troy Pickard Hockey Centre.[84][85]

References

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