Chris Antonio elected Shire president

From a young age, the Southern Brook farmer watched his father David navigate his role as a councillor of Northam.

“It was like a lifelong apprenticeship,” he said. “Being around dad, I always had an interest right from the start.”

However, his father was not the only close family member who held a Local Government leadership role. His uncle Jack was in Council for many years and his grandfather was on the Northam Road Board, which was the predecessor to the Northam Shire.

Mr Antonio said it is natural for him to be community focused, growing up in a small farming community. “You always help everybody out – it is really just a natural progression,” he said.

Mr Antonio has been involved with the family farm in one way, or another since he was an adult, doing office work and physical labour.

At the same time, he worked as a National Australian Bank senior agribusiness manager for about 22 years, in various parts of the Wheatbelt and State, using his finance and business skills.

Three years ago, he moved from Narrogin back to Northam, to run the family farm with his brother. He said being away from Northam for periods of time helped him appreciate what the area had to offer. 

“Even though I was back all the time –  I got to watch the area grow,” he said. 

“I got to see the beauty of it. You know when you’re in a town and you tend to get comfortable?

“I could compare it to other towns which was really exciting. 

“I told myself to never forget that – never stop appreciating it.”

As well as working on the farm, Mr Antonio works as a farm succession planner and lectures at the Muresk Institute in Bachelor of Agribusiness and Management.

He teaches third year students in risk and business planning.

“You have the next generation of leaders there – young people that are enthusiastic and excited.”

Mr Antonio, who has been a councillor in the Northam Shire for two years, said one of the reasons he ran for Council was to give back to the community.

“It is a real honour to be able to do it,” he said. 

He said he would not have nominated himself if his predecessor Kathy Saunders had not retired from the East Ward.

“She was a good councillor,” he said.

“There was an opportunity that became vacant and it was just the right time.”

Mr Antonio said he respects outgoing president Steven Pollard.

“He has been my mentor for two years,” he said.

“The amount of questions I have asked him you would of thought I was a journalist! 

“I never stopped asking and I always wanted to learn.”

When Mr Antonio was elected president in a secret ballot following the council elections, he went straight to the Northam Senior High School graduation as president of the Shire.  

“Steven came up and said – here you go, this is your first function!” he said.

The father-of-five said he wanted the community to engage in local Council.

“We need to be accessible,” he said. 

“I want people to come up to me and have a chat.”

Mr Antonio said the Shire of Northam had great potential.

“We have the amenities, the history and we are so close to Perth – it’s really exciting,” he said.