Meet Trudy

A long-time Whitehorse resident, Trudy is the Whitehorse City Councillor for Eley Ward.

Eley Ward covers Blackburn South and parts of Burwood East, bounded by Blackburn and Middleborough Roads.

Trudy has science and law degrees and post graduate qualifications in corporate governance. She is a Fellow of the Governance Institute of Australia and a Fellow of the International Chartered Governance Institute. Trudy works as a chartered Company Secretary, and has been a member of Boards in education, international community development, community banking, professional standards and superannuation. Trudy is currently Deputy Chair (previously Chair 2020-2023) of the Whitehorse Manningham Regional Library Corporation. She is a volunteer with and Member of Bungalook Nursery, Blackburn South, and Neighbourhood Watch Whitehorse.

Married to David, and with an adult daughter Cate, Trudy is passionate about good governance and genuine social inclusion. She values strong connections with many Christian churches, while working equally with people of all faiths and none. She has no affiliation or connection of any kind to any political party. Trudy is a cricket tragic and a member of the Carlton Football Club.

 

What do I mean by good governance? 

My governance instinct is a bit like a large dinner table. I’m interested in everyone getting a seat and a meal. The table is round, so there’s no ‘head of the table’ or extra prominence for anyone. And there’s no second row of seats, such that people could be excluded or given less to eat – perhaps because of age, or disability, or poverty, or race, or gender, or sexuality, or any of the other bases on which we sometimes discriminate. What entitles people to sit at the table with equal access to dinner is empathic and respectful behaviour. That’s it.  And the governance table is so much stronger if it’s authentically inclusive. Diversity isn’t about being politically correct; it’s about better thinking generated by considering the perspectives of people who don’t think like you do, or don’t experience life like you do. This is what motivates me to serve in local government.