AFTER just two years as a councillor, Peter Ristevksi is excited about the future for Liverpool and the south west region.
Councillor Ristevski, 41, a Chipping Norton resident, was elected for the north ward at the 2012 local government elections when he stood as a Liberal Party candidate.
He was one of a number of new faces at Liverpool Council from that election, including Gus Balloott, Sabrina Mamone and Geoff Shelton.
“Council is working hard on some big issues which will bring great benefits to Liverpool,’’ says Cr Ristevski, who was born and bred in Liverpool, but is also proud of his Macedonian heritage.
“Badgerys Creek airport is the biggest one; we’re looking at something like 28,000 jobs in the backyard of Liverpool,’’ he said.
Cr Ristevski says Liverpool Council is serious about all the challenges it faces, and is strongly determined to play a pivotal role in shaping its own future.
“That’s why the council has set up an airport task force to ensure that our views are heard by the federal government; we want to get the best outcome possible for Liverpool,’’ he says.
“We actually know the needs of this place, whether it’s roads or other infrastructure for the airport, and we will let the government know what we think.’’
Cr Ristevski is also adamant that the proposed giant intermodal freight terminal at Moorebank should be built, but at Badgerys Creek as part of a business park around the new airport.
‘’It just makes sense to take the intermodal there and not put it where a lot of people will be affected.’’
Cr Ristevski said that he was surprised by the amount of work involved in being a councillor.
‘’There really is a lot to do and the ratepayers expect more and more from us as a council, including leadership on issues like the Moorebank intermodal.
“What I would change about council is to make councillors fulltime jobs.
“This would be a really good move and it would also end the anomaly of a fulltime mayor, as Ned [Mannoun] is, and us councillors part time.
“I am not complaining, don’t get me wrong. I am really glad I stood and have got elected to a position where I can contribute to the betterment of my town.
“I plan to run again at the next election in a couple of years,’’ Cr Ristevski said.
In his other life, Cr Ristevski serves as a director of Chan & Naylor, a national accounting and wealth management firm.
He has 20 years experience in the accounting, finance and property sectors. Cr Ristevski founded his accounting firm in 1998 and serves as its executive chairman.
He also founded the Australia-Macedonia Chamber of Commerce in 2006 and serves as its national chairman. In 2011 he was selected to sit on the board of the NSW Government Ministerial Advisory Committee for the Macedonian community.
He has been non-executive chairman of Raptor Motors Limited since 2005, an international car manufacturing company that had the late Peter Brock on its board.
Cr Ristevski is a CPA and holds a Master’s degree in Commerce from the University Of Western Sydney.
He is the treasurer of the Georges River Combined Council Committee and is a board member of the South Western Academy of Sport.
He is also on the Budget & Finance Committee for Liverpool City Council, which has an annual budget of $200 million.
He says Liverpool is in great need of more commercial space to bring more jobs to the central business district.
“This is another area the council is working hard at, it’s the main thing really for us, to increase the number of jobs for local people,’’ he says.
“But everything this council is doing, including pushing for a big sport stadium, is based on careful consideration, to make sure we don’t repeat some of the mistakes of the past.
“In the end, we want to do things that make Liverpool a great place.’’
