Senior Management Team

Jackie commenced as General Manager of Leeton Shire Council in August 2015. Jackie came to the Riverina from Tamworth where she held the position of Director Planning and Community Services.

Her formal qualifications are in natural resource management (BSc Forestry/Conservation) and a Masters in Environmental Education.

Prior to moving to Australia from NZ in 2012, Jackie was herself a councillor for 8 years with Invercargill City Council, including serving as Deputy Mayor in her final term. She considers this to have been an excellent opportunity to understand the important interface played by a GM between the elected Council and the administration staff.

Jackie is strongly focussed on results and making sure these are communicated openly both internally with staff/councillors and externally with Leeton Shire residents. She works very closely with Council's Communications, Corporate Planning and Economic Development staff.

Jackie and her husband, Graeme, love living in Leeton and are impressed by the area's agricultural prowess - from primary production through to value adding manufacturing industries. They have two adult children who visit from time to time.

Brendan Leary - Director Business and Investment

Brendan is an experienced public servant and consultant who joined Leeton Shire Council on a part- time basis in February 2020.

Brendan served as a NSW Government official for more than 15 years, working across agencies like NSW Treasury, Infrastructure NSW and the former Department of State and Regional Development.

Since leaving government, Brendan has led the national practices of two consultancies.  He served as Corview’s Head of Economics, Investment & Finance from July 2016 to February 2019.  When RPS acquired Corview in February 2019, Brendan served at the National Lead for Economics up until his decision to leave in October 2019 and start his own consultancy.

Brendan grew up in Dubbo and has a deep appreciation of and passion for the varied places and landscapes of regional NSW.  Professionally, Brendan loves to see good strategy converted into results through effective development of projects and initiatives, and will bring exactly that focus to serving Leeton’s community.

Within Council, Brendan’s Business and Investment Group includes both the finance and IT functions serving and supporting the rest of Council, as well as broader project development, economic development and events responsibilities.

Peter’s career started in the manufacturing sector where he honed his skills in service reviews, quality assurance and people management (including enterprise bargaining).  Peter then moved into consulting which included a three year stint with KPMG as Associate Director where he undertook services to the Energy and Natural Resource sector in the areas of operations, infrastructure asset management, supply chain and Lean Six Sigma. During this period Peter was introduced to local government where he worked with the CEO of the Port Hedland Council (WA) on a business review to identify areas for revenue and cost improvement. He continued servicing Port Hedland when he moved back out into consulting, including developing a business case for a waste to energy project and negotiating its set up which significantly extended the life of the local landfill. Other activities included a CBD business case and introducing an improved project governance framework for their major works programme. 

Peter then entered into local government at Port Hedland in the role of Manager of Strategic Development and Commercial Contracts and then stepping up to act in the role of Director Infrastructure and Town Works. As a member of the Executive Leadership Team, advising the CEO on strategic and operational matters, Peter was steeped in WA’s equivalent of IPR (Integrated Planning and Reporting) including gearing up the organisation to produce robust Asset Management Plans. He also spearheaded a zero based budgeting exercise in conjunction with his operations team. Some major capital projects Peter worked on while associated with Port Hedland included the airport, swimming pool, wastewater plant, recreation and landfill.  

Peter then took up a six month General Manager Operations contract with Sunraysia in Mildura before commencing at Leeton Shire Council. 

Peter’s formal qualifications are a Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical) from Swinburne University of Technology and an MBA from Deakin University.  He has also completed the Australian Institute of Company Directors course.