Casson puts committee
Clear-sighted plan gives Geelong the opportunity to make its own future
She was not from politics or business in Australia. She was not old-school Geelong. And, by definition, she was not one of the boys.
Being a woman, she sees in hindsight, was important.
“Michael Betts, who was chairman of the committee at the time, spent two hours with me before he allowed me to accept the position, counselling that there was a big need for change and for the committee to continue to lead strategic debates,” she said.
“I believe I have delivered on both.”
Smart, formidable and staunchly individual, as she grew into the role, Casson amplified the committee’s voice as an agent and advocate for change.
She has nothing but praise for Dorling as the committee’s first CEO, but you suspect his mailing list fiasco is the sort of small-town Geelong, and its accompanying sense of entitlement, that she has railed against in the years since.
That the mailing list’s intended beneficiary was Geelong’s Chamber of Commerce chief executive Bernadette Uzelac is an interesting parallel as the
Nor is Casson afraid to speak her mind.
In recent times she has developed a catchcry of “we can do things that others can’t do”, which from the outside seems true enough but also has an element of backhander about it to the limitations of the “others”, be they the chamber, the city council or regional advocacy group G21.
But she can back the claim with substance.
“One of the things I have maintained at the committee is a continued international outlook,” she said.
“For example, we proactively co-ordinated a business delegation to support the mayor’s visit to Kuala Lumpur.”