Councillor Graham Scobie - A Candidate in the 8 Sep 2012 Eurobodalla Shire Election
Graham Scobie was born in Holbrook, NSW, on 3 Dec 1954 to Robin, a teacher, and Ian, a farmer. He is the first of five sons and attended Woomargama Public School, Holbrook Central School and Albury Grammar School (now Scots School). In 1973 Graham enrolled in the Royal Military College, Duntroon, in Canberra before transferring to the Australian National University the following year. In the summer of 75 Graham commenced his overseas traveling career with three months in New Zealand before working in Canberra with Bill Packard who was on Hillaryís expedition to Everest.
From 1977 to 1979 Graham lived, worked and traveled in London, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Europe, Turkey and the United States before returning to ANU in 1980 and 1981. In July, 1981, he moved to the Eurobodalla Shire and has been living here ever since except for two short expeditions to Queanbeyan to work with Federal Member Jim Snow in 1984 and Canberra to assist the Australian Bureau of Statistics in 1986.
Over the past 31 years Graham has lived in Tomakin, Moruya, Broulee, Mossy Point, Mogo and Reedy Creek and has been actively involved in the local community. For example, he was President of the Moruya and District Residents Association in 1981, helped establish Campbell Page in 1984, ran the Moruya Festival of Music in 1994 and 1995, helped the Batemans Bay Hospital Auxiliary to run the Batemans Bay Easter Fair at McKay Park in 2001 and has been President of the Moruya Chamber of Commerce since 2006. In that role he has been Chairman of the 2007 River of Art Festival and the 2008 Make It Moruya Campaign.
Graham began his working life in the Eurobodalla as a farmer, builder and house-husband, later becoming a paving contractor and driving a road roller. From 1984 to 1986 he was Employment Development Officer with the South Eastern Employment Task Force and from 1988 to 1999 worked for Essential Energy in a variety of roles including Customer Service, Training, Billing, Credit Control, Green Energy and Appliance Sales.
Since his arrival in the Eurobodalla Shire in 1981 Graham has also been a singer, songwriter and musician so his launching of his booking agency Scentertainment in 1999 was a natural progression. He has recorded four albums and won two national music awards in 2004. In 2006 he added the Eurobodalla Voice, a weekly community email newsletter, which won a Moruya Business Award in that year.
Graham has also been actively involved in local politics since his arrival in the area and in 2004 was a candidate in the Eurobodalla Shire Council By-Election before being elected on Saturday, 13 Sep 2008. Since then he has been a member of Councilís Aboriginal Advisory, Disability Advisory, Botanic Gardens and Landcare Committees as well as being Chairman of the Moruya Showground Management Committee and Vice-Chairman of the South East Arts Board. Once again he is a candidate for both Council and Mayor in the local government election on Saturday, 8 Sep 2012.
Authorised by Councillor Graham Scobie, PO Box 87, Moruya