Matthew Stadtmiller – Candidate Profile

Hi, I’m Matthew Stadtmiller the regular Managing Editor of this masthead and the newspaper is owned by wife Nyssa Stadtmiller.

 

The paper was owned in a 50/50 share arrangement with Jasmin Jones, however, has been owned in my wife’s care at 100 percent ownership, since September 2023.

 

I have worked in the Yass Valley area for more than four years and more recently, have lived in Murrumbateman.

My family first came to Bowning and are recorded as owning land in the district as early as 1877.
My Great Great Aunty, Sister Ann Stadtmiller ran ‘Devonia’ Private Hospital between the 1930s and the 1950s in Yass in Demestre Street. Meaning she may have delivered many of the townsfolk’s grandparents and even parents depending on your age.
Our family moved on to the Binalong area and then Harden.

I was first elected to Harden Shire Council in 2012 at 28 and I’ve been a Deputy Mayor.

Qualifications include a Bachelor of Arts in Television Production and I founded my own newspaper the following year.
With Harden forced in to a merger with Young and Boorowa known as Hilltops, I ran and was elected in 2017 and again in 2022.

I have served on Goldenfields Water County Council since 2017 and as Chairman since 2022 where I was unanimously
re-elected earlier this year to continue as Chairman.

Goldenfields is an exceptional organisation delivering water to an enormous network with approximately 11,838 properties connected directly to our drinking water supply network in Bland, Coolamon, Junee, Temora and parts of Cootamundra-Gundagai and Narrandera. We also supply water in bulk to parts of Hilltops and other parts of Cootamundra-Gundagai with distribution handled by the local
councils. If elected, my experience with water will be useful to the Yass Council and the residents and consumers.

I have a young family with my wife Nyssa and we operate a media company with seven separate towns covered across our publication. If elected I will be stepping back from that role to deliver for my constituents.

I have already started advocating for Yass by engaging the Minister for Water, Rose Jackson, at the recently held State Water Conference in Goulburn. I will continue to do so. I have more experience with water than any other candidate in this election and will be able to actually address the issues facing the Yass Valley.
My 12 years as a Councillor will bring a depth of knowledge lacking in Yass Council and I am determined to spend ratepayers money in a sensible way.

I will propose that Council hold a series of polls to determine what residents want and marry that up against budgets.
I believe that a poll should be held to determine support on the Crago Mill project and how much the residents want to spend. If it requires re-scoping I will support that to what is affordable.

I will continue to advocate for the completion of the Barton Highway duplication.

I will vote for the establishment of a special water committee which will see industry leaders via my industry contacts, attend monthly meetings in Yass regarding how to best approach and solve the water crisis currently occurring, including the water treatment plant (WTP) renewal and the town water main issues across Yass Valley.

I will vote to fund further mental health initiatives including attracting more psychologists and medical services to address this problem. Male suicide accounts for 75 percent of the suicide deaths and females 25 percent.

I will in my first 100 days meet with each village progress association to determine their needs, wants and desires and bring those back to Council.

I will vote for a full road audit to be conducted so that the worst roads will receive immediate rectification and a sensible plan can be rolled out based on data
about the condition of the roads.

I will vote for the current pool to be upgraded and then upgraded to a semi enclosed heated pool for Yass and the next generation of swimmers.

I will propose and vote that all sporting bodies and community organisations pay nothing to hire the sporting grounds for the next 12 months, while the cost of living crisis continues.

I will propose that Yass Valley Council in partnership with private enterprise create a new equine facility at North Murrumbateman which will be a self contained village, full of housing, paddocks and facilities to attract people who love horses, ride horses and train performance horses.

I support that staff be given a pay rise commensurate with their role and the cost of living in Yass Valley to avoid the brain drain of knowledge being lost to the ACT.

I will evaluate if assets can be sold or a Special Rate Variation is needed to fix the current Council’s financial woes and consult honestly with the community via a poll so that we don’t have to sack staff or lose services.