Meet Our Mayor

MEETourMAYOR

The name Paul Antonio when mentioned is a name that very few don’t know and rightly so. He has been the Toowoomba Region Mayor since 2012 and has served in various Council roles from 1982 through to 2008. His experience in local government is extensive and his involvement throughout the community is respected. The desire to make a difference in his home town of Millmerran is what drove Paul to enter into politics, and making a difference is what he is doing.

When speaking with Paul, you soon realise that his grandchildren are the apple of his eye and watching them grow up and being involved in their lives is something that is of utmost importance to him. Family life and the birth of his children has been the most rewarding part of his life.

Paul is a graduate of UQ Gatton, formerly Queensland Agricultural College, so the conversation flows easily especially if you are talking about the land and farming. With Paul still being involved in the family farm west of Millmerran he is always interested in the rainfall around the district, what yields farmers are getting and what the price of cattle is doing this week.

We all strive to leave an impact and sometimes we would like to change things that are out of our control. For Paul, to see the end of all wars and the effect they have on the women and children that get caught up in these tragedies would be a great start. However Paul is a realist and knows that this probably won’t happen in his lifetime. Paul is very passionate about his association with White Ribbon in his role as a Ambassador and would do anything to stop the impact domestic violence has on families.

You could say Paul Antonio is a busy man, which he admits is deliberate. On those rare occasions when there is some down time he enjoys hopping into his car and driving to Fingal in Northern NSW where he enjoys just sitting for an hour or so looking out towards Cook Island watching the waves and seagulls and walking along the beach. And when time doesn’t allow for the escape the next best thing is a tour of

the farm with his son looking at the crops, livestock and recent projects.

Being Mayor is not an easy job. Like most jobs in public life no matter which way you go, you always risk upsetting some people. In his practical way Paul understands that leadership means that you can’t make everybody happy all the time.

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We all enter the world hoping to do good and when asked “What would you like to be remembered for” he simply answered “Being

Positive”