In Charleville the Butcher is the Mayor
Interview by Alice Armitage Photography by Alice Armitage
I was in Charleville for approximately three hours before I got a message from one of my closest friends. “Go to the Butcher and meet the Mayor. Tell him I sent you.”
It turned out to be fantastic advice and not long after, I found myself learning a lot about Cr Shaun [Zoro] Radnedge. The following is a transcription of the conversation we had on the stoop of his Butcher shop early on a Wednesday morning.
Are you originally from Charleville?
My family has been here for about 140 years. My dad was a shearer in his younger years before he spent forty-three years as a garbageman here in Charleville. My mom was a railway worker, so I come from working class stock. I spent ten years away in Toowoomba in the 90’s but the rest of my fifty-three years have been spent here.
How does one become a Butcher?
You won’t be surprised to learn I wasn’t a great scholar. I made it through three weeks of grade eleven at Charleville State High before it was suggested that maybe it would be best if I spent my time pursuing something else. I had been doing the washing up at this very butcher shop, I asked the boss about an apprenticeship and here I am, in the same butcher shop all these years later.
I think we don’t put enough emphasis on the importance of and the opportunity that exists for young people going into a trade.
You’re right. I think it’s the surest and safest background to have for a young person and it’s so important for us all to think about the young people in our community. When speaking to these kids, I try to encourage them to contribute something to the community and that’s what so many young tradesmen and women are doing. Everytime they do something, it gives people more confidence to get out there, regardless of what they do and what their background is, it’s awesome.
How would you explain Charleville to someone who’s never been anywhere near here before?
Charleville is one of those quirky places, but its biggest asset is its people. We’ve recently had several events here which has seen a lot of people coming back to the region for the first time in a long time and we’ve had some great feedback that the town seems to be doing well. We work very hard to keep the town tidy and doing well and to encourage people back to the town. The town also has a really interesting history, in the second world war there was a secret military base here with three-thousand-five-hundred Americans were stationed here. That history draws a lot of people in.
You spent some time away, what was the chain of events that led you back to Charleville?
The opportunity arose, so we just dove straight in. We had no money, but I did my apprenticeship in this shop and the boss reached out. They had been doing it pretty tough at the time and asked if I wanted to take it over. That was in 1998 and I’m still here.
How did the Butcher become the Mayor?
I love football, and one of the things I learnt playing the sport is that if you’re going to complain about something you also have to be willing to do something about it. 2014 it was a rocking period for Charleville, we’d had a few bad floods the years beforehand and we lost funding for eight-four government jobs in the town. It really pulled the heart out of the middle third of our local economy. The economic development was really stagnant and I thought to myself that there was an opportunity with the council elections coming up. I was forty-three at the time, my kids were older and it felt like the right time. I wanted to be able to say that I did what I could to shape the future of this community. That’s how I ended up on the council, as far as becoming the mayor ... do you want the real story or the fluffy version?
The real story obviously!
Now, I’ll be honest. I’d been on the council for four years, we were moving into another election cycle and it was very quiet in the butcher shop because it was the middle of the drought and most businesses in town were really on life support. One of my butchers, who had been working for me for fourteen years, told me he was having a baby and that he was going to need some more money. I had no more money to give him so I got to work, having a look around to see what I could do. I really enjoyed being on the council, I had no idea what the Mayor did but it seemed like a good idea so I put my hand up for that. I really have become an accidental politician.
I don’t like to use the term ‘authenticity’ because it’s bandied around so much but it’s the first thing that comes to mind when you say you’re an ‘accidental politician’. Do you think that the way you’ve come into politics has allowed you to be the most authentic representative for your community?
One hundred percent Alice. I always come back to that, I’m your average country larrikin and I think that’s relatable for people. My background, my family’s history, where I come from all play into it. Having lived through the 90s, being here when the floods completely decimated this town. We’ve had some trying times as a community and I’ve been here for most of it. A lot of politicians talk about the importance of resilience but I don’t think most of them would know it even if it hit them on the back. Being a butcher, I’ve spent a lot of time with all walks of life in this community over the years. Now as a counsellor and a mayor I can use that understanding to be the best advocate for the community that I can. All people want is information and answers. They know that if they were to come to the butcher shop, they know that they’ll find me. I’ll talk to anyone as long as they buy something! The best community consultation happens at the butcher. I also love this place. It’s where my wife and I bought up our family and where we’ve been able to build a great life.
You said that you love football, how do you think that plays a role in who you are and what you do?
I have a story for you that I think you’ll love that sums this up for me. I found myself sitting on the Prime Minister’s table at a fancy dinner in Canberra. Everyone sitting around me was pretty sheepish, I wasn’t really sure what to say but I had some intel that Albo and I went for the same team. So I turned to him and simply asked ‘What are we going to do about Wayne Bennett?!’ Now you don’t need to know who Wayne Bennett is to understand that our shared love of the game was common ground that allowed myself and the Prime Minister to build a connection.
What has been the most bizarre thing that someone has asked of you since becoming the Mayor?
There have been several, that’s for sure. You do all of these important things and you get to mix with Prime Ministers, Ministers and Premiers but one day when I was in the throes of a flood event here in town I got a call from a random phone number. I answered it and it was someone wanting some help booking flights from Brisbane for their holiday to Charleville. It might have been bizarre but to me it showed that I’m doing a good job at making people feel confident that they can approach me with anything.
What has been your greatest challenge as the Mayor?
I’d say sustainability with finances. I always say that there are four pillars that need to have in good order for our community to be doing well. Safely, healthcare, education and livability. We try to work towards everyone in the community contributing to the success of those four things but the biggest challenge with all of those is money. So all of a sudden you’re going to the government and asking for two-hundred-million dollars to fix the hospital – that’s a fair few scotch fillets.
It seems you give a lot of yourself to be the Mayor. What do you feel you get in return?
I’ve come to learn a lot about leadership. It’s like an elastic band and you don’t really know how far you can stretch it, or how far you can rise until you challenge its limits. There are four other councillors that I work with and while it’s important for me to always have my say, my job is to encourage them. It’s a team effort and if you’re in a good team you can almost achieve anything. Being the Mayor has really tested my limits and I’ve been able to prove to myself how much I am personally capable of.
Tell me what you’re most proud of achieving during your tenure?
We got some intel that a big company was planning to sink their carbon offset into the Great Artesian Basin and this company was petitioning the state government pretty hard, claiming that it would be safe for the environment to do so. But I’m proud to say that once we understood what was on the table, we jumped on
it and lobbied the Local Government Association of Queensland. Making it known that we thought this was absolutely ludicrous. We went to the Australian Local Government Association and they lobbied the Federal Government on our behalf. We roped in anyone we possibly could. The last thing any of us wanted was to potentially contaminate the basin, it’s our main water source and would have catastrophic consequences that could ruin the community forever. Queensland authorities ultimately rejected that company’s proposal and we played a role in not allowing more than 300,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide to be pumped into the Great Artesian Basin. I say to people, if they’re thinking about running for council, being a part of something like this, no one is ever going to take that win away from you.
How do you think we can change attitudes in small communities so more people put their hands up to do things like run for local government?
It’s about letting people truly know that the decisions they are a part of making, are going to shape the future of the community. Over the next three to four months we’re going to be shaping the town plan. It will determine how we all move forward and shape the next fifty years of our shire. How cool is that! The decisions we make will contribute to what’s going to happen especially around housing and livability in our community. The thing is, that’s nothing but empowering. It goes to show that anyone can have an impact if they want to try.