Spotlight on Sharyn Doolan: Division 7 Candidate for Alexandra Hills

I was born in Melbourne in 1965, and lived in an outer suburb called Mount Waverley.  With its market gardens and bushland it was rather like the Redlands. 

At the age of  9, my family packed up house and home for South Gippsland, and eventually settled in the tiny town of Meeniyan with a population of 350 people, and two horses, one of which was mine!

Animal lover, Sharyn Doolan, wants people in her Division to know she is a caring person.

I still have a passion for horses, and would love to have acreage one day.  In the meantime I've contented myself with two very big dogs, which on a good day could pass for mini horses.

In 1984 I hopped on the back of my boyfriend’s bike and came to Brisbane where I had to work very hard to pronounce 'Indooroopilly' - much to the amusement of my friends.  

It was a job in radio that brought me to Queensland.  My first gig was as a mid-dawn announcer at FM 104 in 1985.  Wow!  The people, the station, the promotions, the music.  It was such an exciting place to be for a 19-year-old.

It was at FM 104 that I voiced my first radio commercial, for Silhouette  Clothing store and 18 years later, I had worked for an assortment of radio stations around Brisbane and South East Queensland.  My last full-time on-air position was at the Drivetime Announcer on Star FM in Ipswich in 2001 (now known as River 949).

Following my career in radio, I established a studio at my home and promoted my services as a Voice-Over Artist.  I have since been reading scripts for people, companies, and businesses all over Australia and the world.

And I love it!

Why politics then?

I’ve had a keen interest in politics for a long, long time.  I've always had a great interest in my country and what happens to her.

And I’m truly thankful to our Grandparents and the previous generations for giving us the freedom we have now.  I want to protect that for future generations.

In fact, I and my partner, David were honoured to go to Gallipoli last year for the 100^th Anniversary.  We were there to honour his Uncle who was mown down in the second wave of that fateful battle.

It was a very moving and unforgettable experience.

Sharyn with her partner, David, attended the
Gallipoli 100th anniversary celebrations

I have now lived in the Redlands for almost 25 years.   I’ve seen it grow and change.   I’ve seen good and bad in politics and people.  Thankfully more of the good than bad.

I believe we need considered growth; without it we stagnate.   

We need jobs and infrastructure, but we also need to keep this City as the lifestyle jewel that it is.

I love the bushland and the sea.   You don’t see many places this close to a capital city with all the amazing attributes we have.

As for our people, they need more services, I’m particularly passionate about sexual abuse and domestic violence.

I’ve also volunteered at Cleveland Meals on Wheels for about five years. I see lonely and very thankful people who have worked and served us and gave us this amazing legacy. I am grateful to them and this is my way of saying 'thank you'.   Sadly - sometimes we are the only people the customers see on a daily basis. 

But on the flip side of that coin, I'd like to encourage more arts and entertainment opportunities  to encourage fun and creativity.  Bored people can make bad decisions!   Having activities to engage people is a healthy outlet and I’d like to see more.

For the people in Division 7, as your Councilor, when you need assistance with something I will come to meet with you face to face in your home. 

I don’t know if  you are young or old, have a car or not, or whether I’m the only person you see for days.   But I want you to know I care, and the only way I can show you is to come to you and meet you.  

I work for you.  It’s my job to help you in every way I can.