Getting to know your Mayor and Deputy Mayor following the election

Published on 04 October 2023

Council joins our community in congratulating newly elected Mayor Chris Hanna and re-elected Deputy Mayor Tanya Higgins following the mayoral elections held at the Ordinary Council Meeting on Thursday 21 September 2023 in Cooma.

There were three candidates for the position of Mayor on the day, with Crs Chris Hanna, Tanya Higgins and Luke Williamson receiving nominations for the ballot.

There were two candidates for Deputy Mayor, with Crs Tanya Higgins and Bob Stewart nominated for the ballot.

Outgoing Mayor Narelle Davis chose not to seek re-election.

“I’d like to thank Cr Davis for her 20 months of passion, commitment, and leadership during her time as Mayor,” said Chris Hanna, Mayor of Snowy Monaro Regional Council.

“Narelle has always had a deep connection to the Snowy Monaro. Thanks to her decades of experience as a leader on and off of Council and her genuine desire to make our region better, she leaves her post with our organisation in the best shape it has ever been in.”

In the Snowy Monaro, the Mayor and Deputy Mayor ordinarily serve two-year terms, with a Mayoral election halfway through the four-year Council term.

Due to COVID-19 delaying the most recent local government election by more than a year, the Council term is only 32 months long, with this most recent mayoral election being held 20 months into the term.

Mayor Hanna will serve until the end of the Council term in September 2024, when the next NSW local government elections are scheduled.

“I’m really excited to be voted in as the new Mayor for Snowy Monaro Regional Council, and I look forward to working with councillors and staff over the next 12 months.” said Mayor Hanna.

“I’ve got big boots to fill, but working together I know that this Council will continue to get the best outcomes for our community.”

Chris Hanna was born and raised in Cooma, attending both St Patrick' Parish School and Monaro High School.

Entering the workforce straight out of school, Hanna spent more than a decade working across the food service and banking sector in Cooma. With his eye on bigger and better things, Chris worked and saved diligently until 2016, when he purchased local business Hip Pocket Workwear and Safety.

Under Chris’s ownership, the business has enjoyed great success – growing the number of local people employed more than fourfold over the past six years.

Mayor Hanna served as president of the Cooma Chamber of Commerce from 2020 until 2021, before deciding to run for Council.

“When I found out Narelle was not going to stand again, I thought it would be a great opportunity for me to step up and continue the work of leading this Council – and our region – into the future.”

“We’ve made a lot of progress over the past 20 months, delivering on the projects and Council reforms that matter to our community. I’m confident that these next 12 months will see us continuing that trend, and I thank the councillors for their trust and confidence in electing me Mayor.”

Deputy Mayor Tanya Higgins was elected for second term. The Michelago resident, RFS member, and dedicated foster carer is looking forward to another year in the role.

“I am excited to continue to serve the community in the role of Deputy Mayor, and I thank my fellow councillors for their continued endorsement,” said Deputy Mayor Higgins.

“Mayor Hanna and I work well together, and I hope we will make a great leadership team.”

Deputy Mayor Higgins has brought with her to Council a professional background is in social planning, policy and administration. She has worked for the Australian Public Service on national policy relating to regional development, health, aged care, women’s safety and support services for the National Redress Scheme.

“Council as a whole has made a commitment to improving our financial sustainability and accountability, which is an achievement councillors should be proud of,” said Deputy Mayor Higgins.

“Personally, I have loved being able to help people who have needed help with Council issues, get real things done on the ground and make life easier. This is what motivates me, and I will continue to advocate for the community.”

The Deputy Mayor looks forward to seeing through the provision of key infrastructure projects in the region in her second term. She highlights the Michelago Bridge, Cooma Regional Sports Centre and new Bombala Water Treatment Plant as particular priorities for the coming 12 months.

She hopes to continue her work in improving Council’s community engagement, especially with our First Nations people.

“I would like to see better integration of environmental sustainability and resilience to impacts of climate change in the way Council does business,” said Deputy Mayor Higgins.

“We will continue to work with the other levels of government to improve housing availability, encouraging innovative solutions that may work in the Snowy Monaro.”