About me:
Along with my wife Sue and three children I came to live in Mount Pleasant in the mid-nineties. Sue worked locally at the Birdwood Primary School and High Schools until she retired. Before leaving home, our three sons became involved in local sport from Little Athletics at Springton and football and cricket at Birdwood. I also served on the Mount Pleasant Primary School Council. I semi-r
etired after a 39-year policing career which comprised many leadership positions, including Officer in Charge of the Ceduna CIB, Penong Police Station, Marla Police Station and Operations Manager at the Elizabeth and Murray Bridge Police Stations. In 2001 I travelled to East Timor as a Co-ordinator with the Australian contingent of United Nations Peacekeepers. Within my area of responsibility, I oversaw their first free and democratic elections. Additionally, I lived in Papua and New Guinea in 2003 and 2004 working on an Ausaid Project as an advisor to the Royal Papua and New Guinea Constabulary, based out of Mount Hagen in the Western Highlands Province. During my police career I obtained tertiary qualifications in Indigenous Studies and Adult Learning and was awarded the Australian Police Medal in 1995 for Distinguished Police Service. Whilst living at Penong and Marla I became a member of the local Progress Associations, working with the Outback Areas Community Development Trust to deliver council like services to those towns and districts. Currently I drive school buses for Birdwood High School. I have volunteered in a number of roles including as Secretary of the local Men’s Shed, Chairperson of the Hills Group of JP’s and I’m an active service member of the Mount Pleasant RSL. I enjoy giving freely of my time to help our community, including making in excess of 270 blood donations. For relaxation I have walked the Lavender Federation Trail (Murray Bridge to Clare - 356 kilometres), and the Heysen Trail (1200 kilometres) from Cape Jervis to Parachilna. These walks have given me a very good appreciation of rural South Australia, especially The Barossa Council area. I also enjoy woodwork, gardening, and reading. I am a Councillor across the whole of The Barossa Council, but have a focus on issues in the southern areas. I am seeking your support via this medium, (Facebook) to be elected as a Councillor for a second term, and to continue representing people with their concerns and interactions with Council. Feel free to contact me with any issues that you may have. Don Barrett
Tel: 040 001 9586
