We are pleased to bring to you, as part of our Governing Freo-style series of interviews, our recent audio interview with Cr Jenny Archibald from the East ward of the City of Fremantle, which particularly covers White Gum Valley.
Jenny is an old hand when it comes to Fremantle. One suspects she could be called Ms Fremantle, she’s been around the traps so long and has so great an affinity with the City. While she spent time away, her roots here are long and deep.
As Jenny explains in the podcast that follows, she first bought a little old house in South Freo way back when, before South Freo became fashionable, and a little more expensive.
In the 90s she found her way onto Council, and then, before the decade was out, she served as Mayor.
Jenny first served on Council from 1990 to 1994 and was elected as Mayor from 1994 to 1997.
Then she was was re-elected to Council in 2017.
She is a currently a member of the Finance, policy, operations and legislation committee (Deputy Presiding Member) and on the CEO performance committee.
Jenny has a broad CV. Educated as a geologist, she has worked in both the private and public sectors. At different times, she has been chair of the Rottnest Island Board, chair of the Spare Parts Puppet Theatre, inaugural chair of the Fremantle Prison Trust, and deputy Chair of Fremantle Press. Jenny is also a former President of the Fremantle Society.
So, it was wonderful to have the opportunity to talk about things Freo with Jenny Archibald recently, to discover how she got into local government in the first place, and then a second time, and to get her take on where the City and the East ward is at, especially in the time of Covid.
