Ex-councillor Chris Gabelish focused on future planning, combating homelessness & crime in new council bid

Former councillor and homelessness advocate Chris Gabelish has vowed that if elected the council will lead the charge in bringing about change for homeless people. With only two weeks to go until the local government election, it’s time for voters to have their say on who will represent them on the council for the next four years. Mr Gabelish was a Geraldton councillor for 15 years, during a period in which he says Geraldton went through its most transformative time. He said he had the drive and determination to have a second stint on council and was confident the community could count on him to help ensure positive change for all communities within Greater Geraldton. A strong advocate to end homelessness, Mr Gabelish is operations manager at Regional Alliance West — formerly the Geraldton Resource Centre — which provides free services to those experiencing disadvantage in the community. He said he was often at the forefront of making a difference to individuals, families and the wider community. “The most important task is to prepare for the future population growth that includes a homelessness and housing strategy and to bring everyone to the table which effectively enables properly planned development that takes care of our growing community and diminishes the risk of unforeseen consequences within this growth,” Mr Gabelish said. “If I’m elected I can assure everyone that the City will take this issue seriously and they will take the lead in this space.” Mr Gabelish said he held Mullewa close to his heart and there was more to do to support those communities in the Greater Geraldton region. As well as preparing for the future, Mr Gabelish believes it is important to live in a safe community. He said reducing crime rates came down to providing necessary support to allow people to become the best they could be. “My first job in Geraldton was dealing with young people who were offending. In the first six months the juvenile crime rate dropped by 47 per cent and that was before I got fully operational,” he said. “I know what works and the juvenile justice system is broken, but I know how to fix it and the programs that are necessary that enables this.” Previously as a councillor, Mr Gabelish took the lead in having a memorandum of understanding with the Geraldton Port Authority. He said it was time to review the MoU in order to mitigate coastal erosion. Supporting events that are inclusive to all communities, as well as encouraging Aboriginal tourism across the region, were some tourism options Mr Gabelish believed would work in the city.