Recognition for Broome's long-serving Councillors

Published on 09 October 2020

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Two long-serving Shire of Broome Councillors have recently been recognised for their commitment to the community over a collective 52 years, with the pair lauded by the WA Local Government Association.

Councillor Elsta Foy and Councillor Phil Matsumoto have both been elected members in Broome for 26 years apiece. The duo have both been handed a WALGA Long and Local Service Award.

Cr Foy was first elected in 1990 and held a seat on Broome Council until 2011, before being re-elected in 2015 again.

Her commitment to the preservation of Broome’s culture, environment and history has been notable, while she has always been proactive in bringing the views of the community to the attention of Council.

Cr Matsumoto’s tenure as a Broome Shire Councillor has been made up of three stints – he was first elected in 1974 and served for 11 years until 1989.

He also fulfilled the role from 1991 to 1994, before being re-elected in 2011 and representing the constituents until the current day.

Cr Matsumoto has been heavily involved in a wide range of community groups, forums and Aboriginal organisations in Broome for most of his adult life.

Shire of Broome president Harold Tracey paid tribute to his colleagues and thanked them for their service.

“Councillors Foy and Matsumoto have played important roles in the development of both the Shire of Broome and our town over the last couple of decades,” he said.

“Being a Shire Councillor can at times be a thankless task – it is a time-consuming exercise and it takes a certain type of person to commit to doing it for as long as Elsta and Phil have.

“Both Elsta and Phil love Broome and their role on Council has been for the selfless betterment of the community they live in.

“They are fantastic ambassadors for Broome and their awards are well deserved after a combined half century of commitment to our community.”

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