New Kalgoorlie-Boulder deputy mayor Lisa Malicky ready to step up

Young, passionate and ready to listen — Lisa Malicky is ready to put her head down and get to work in her new leadership role at the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder.

Cr Malicky was elected deputy mayor at Monday night’s extraordinary council meeting ahead of Laurie Ayers.

The announcement was met with applause on social media from residents, prominent citizens and, most importantly, Cr Malicky’s mother.

Elected to the council 12 years ago aged 19, she said the support for her at Saturday’s local government election where she attracted more than 11 per cent of the vote left her speechless.

“I just think the deputy mayor role is a great opportunity for self-development but also given the experience I have, and considering we have lost a couple of really experienced councillors, I just felt it was a perfect time to put my name forward,” she said.

“The biggest thing is just making sure I am supporting the councillors with their issues and then with the things I want to bring up, obviously youth crime.

“I am a big advocate for social media and I use that as a tool for communicating with our community.”

Cr Malicky said the re-election of all incumbents suggested issues brought up about council could be more hearsay rather than matter-of-fact.

“I think the council does a good job and I know every member around the table gives 100 per cent in everything they do,” she said.

In 2008 Cr Malicky was awarded the WA Youth Awards’ Leadership Award for her work as City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder’s youth mayor.

She has volunteered and coached local soccer teams and held roles with the West Australian YMCA, PCYC, Headspace and WA National Party’s Kalgoorlie branch.

City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder Mayor John Bowler said Mrs Malicky had big shoes to fill replacing retiring deputy mayor Allan Pendal.

“Lisa (Malicky), she is great, I have been very proud of her,” he said.

“She has been a great ornament to her community, to her parents, she will be good to work with. Allan Pendal ... had the ability to put people at ease while at the same time getting the job done.”

Mr Pendal retired from his position at Saturday’s local government position, creating a vacancy filled by Deborah Botica.