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Rod Fyffe

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Rodney James Fyffe OAM (20 March 1949 – 12 July 2024) was an Australian politician and teacher.[1]

Rod Fyffe
OAM
Mayor of the City of Greater Bendigo
In office
2003–2004
In office
2004–2005
In office
2010–2011
In office
2015–2016
Councilor of the City of Greater Bendigo for Lockwood Ward
In office
2012–2024
Councilor of the City of Greater Bendigo for Golden Square Ward
In office
2004–2012
Councilor of the City of Greater Bendigo for Fortuna Ward
In office
1996–2004
Councilor of the City of Bendigo for Sutton Ward
In office
1983–1994
Personal details
Born20 March 1949
Warracknabeal, Victoria
Died12 July 2024(2024-07-12) (aged 75)
Bendigo, Victoria
NationalityAustralian
Political partyIndependent
Children2
Alma materMonash University (BEc)
University of Edinburgh (BA)
OccupationTeacher
Awards
  • Mayor Emeritus (2012)
  • MAV Victorian Councillor 35 Years' Service Award (2022)
NicknameThe Mayor with the Hair

Early life and career

Fyffe was born on 20 March 1949 in Warracknabeal, Victoria.[2] He attended primary school in Cannum and Caramut, before going to high school in Hamilton. After finishing high school, Fyffe went on to study at Monash University,[3] where he graduated with a Bachelor of Economics, majoring in Mathematics, Statistics and Economics.[2] After undertaking a Diploma of Education, Fyffe went on to teach at Mansfield High School, before departing for Scotland in 1975 for further studies at the University of Edinburgh, where he studied a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Archaeology, Geology, Geophysics and Fine Art.[2]

Fyffe returned to Australia in 1979 and began teaching at Bendigo Senior High School,[2] where he taught until 2011.[4] He took leave from his job as a teacher each time he served as Mayor.

Outside of politics, Fyffe was associated with the Bendigo Art Gallery and had a gallery space named for him. He served as a board member of the Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) and the Goldfields Libraries, and was a member of the Bendigo Easter Fair Committee.[2] Fyffe served on the committee of the Golden Square Football Netball Club, in addition to acting as the club's secretary and as a canteen assistant shortly before his death.[5] He was a member of the Bendigo Field Naturalists Club.

Political career

Fyffe first stood for election in the City of Bendigo's Darling Ward in 1982 where he was defeated by 41 votes by incumbent councilor and former mayor Joseph Patrick Pearce. He ran again in Sutton Ward in 1983 where he was elected on preferences. He was reelected with an absolute majority in the 1986 election. [6]

He was elected as mayor of the council in 2003, where he took time off from his teaching job to serve as Mayor.[7]

In 2004, he was elected once again by the council to be the Mayor of the City of Greater Bendigo.[8]

He was elected as mayor for a third time in 2012.[9]

In his fourth and final stint as mayor (2015–2016),[2] he oversaw the Bendigo Mosque protests which began when the City of Greater Bendigo voted 7-2 to build approving Mosque under previous Mayor Barry Lyons.[10] Opponents of the Mosque attempted to appeal the construction to the High Court of Australia, a moved Fyffe praised.[11]

In 2016, he was elected as Deputy Mayor, serving under Mayor Margaret O'Rourke until 2017.[12] He served once again as Deputy Mayor from 2018 until 2019.

In 2020, Fyffe made another bid for Mayor but was unsuccessful, losing to Jennifer Alden.[13]

At the time of his death, Fyffe had served thirty-eight years as a Bendigo councillor, having joining the City of Bendigo council in 1983.[2] He was mayor of Bendigo four times and deputy mayor twice.[2]

He was dubbed "The Mayor with the Hair" by local media.[2][14]

Awards and recognition

In 2012, Fyffe was given Mayor Emeritus status by the MAV for his three mayoral terms.[15] In 2022, Fyffe was the recipient of the MAV Victorian Councillor Service Award, being included in the 35 Years' Service category.[1][15]

The 7 November 2012 edition of the Bendigo Advertiser was dedicated to Fyffe, whose third term as mayor had ended that day.[15]

In the 2013 Queen's Birthday Honours, Fyffe was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for service to local government, and to the community.[1]

In 2019, Fyffe appeared on a mural celebrating the history of Bendigo.[2] He was noted as being "among one of the most recognisable of Bendigo's residents".[2]

Death

A few days before his death, Fyffe met with councilors of the City of Greater Bendigo to submit a self-written eulogy, detailing his experiences as a Bendigo councillor.[16] He passed away on 12 July 2024, aged 75, after a long illness.[2][14] Fyffe received tributes from politicians Maree Edwards, Lisa Chesters, and Victorian premier Jacinta Allan, among others.[5]

References

  1. ^ a b c Finlay, Alistair (22 October 2022). "Decades of service acknowledged". Bendigo Times. Retrieved 13 July 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l O'Callaghan, Tom; Magrath, Jonathon; Loughran, Ben (13 July 2024). "Tributes flow for 'mayor with the hair'". Bendigo Advertiser. pp. 1, 5. Retrieved 13 July 2024.
  3. ^ Pang, Simon (2013). The Local Heroes: City of Greater Bendigo. Vol. Three. Local Heroes Publications. ISBN 978-0-9806160-2-6.
  4. ^ Snowdon, Danielle (12 July 2024). "Vale Rod Fyffe". Bendigo Senior Secondary College. Retrieved 13 July 2024.
  5. ^ a b Magrath, Jonathon (13 July 2024). "'A champion of the people', Rod's legacy will always live on". Bendigo Advertiser. p. 4. Retrieved 13 July 2024.
  6. ^ Cusack, Frank (1988). Annals of Bendigo. Vol. Seven. Sandhurst Trustees Ltd, Bendigo Building Society, the Bendigo Advertiser Pty Ltd, Southern Cross TV8. ISBN 0 9594974 4 2. {{cite book}}: Check |isbn= value: checksum (help)
  7. ^ "Fyffe to be new Bendigo mayor". ABC News. 26 February 2003. Retrieved 13 July 2024.
  8. ^ "New faces join Bendigo council". ABC News. 28 November 2004. Retrieved 13 July 2024.
  9. ^ "Rod Fyffe to become mayor of Bendigo". Bendigo Advertiser. 24 November 2010. Retrieved 13 July 2024.
  10. ^ Lenaghan, Peter; Parker, Fiona (12 April 2016). "Bendigo Mayor defends council amid conduct complaints". ABC News. Retrieved 13 July 2024.
  11. ^ Australian Associated Press (15 June 2016). "Bendigo mosque: high court throws out request to hear appeal". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 13 July 2024.
  12. ^ "Bendigo mayor and deputy named". Bendigo Advertiser. 8 November 2016. Retrieved 13 July 2024.
  13. ^ O'Callaghan, Tom (9 November 2020). "Fyffe declares mayoral run in three-cornered contest". Bendigo Advertiser. Retrieved 13 July 2024.
  14. ^ a b "Vale local government legend, Cr Rod Fyffe OAM". City of Greater Bendigo. 12 July 2024. Retrieved 13 July 2024.
  15. ^ a b c Denton, Jenny (13 July 2024). "We dedicated an edition of the Addy to Rod". Bendigo Advertiser. p. 6.
  16. ^ "In his own words – for the final time". Bendigo Advertiser. 13 July 2024. p. 6. Retrieved 13 July 2024.
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