Gong for Jackie

Gong for Jackie

Melbourne councillor Jackie Watts has been awarded an Australia Day honour for services to local government and to the community.

Cr Watts was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the general division.

She told Docklands News she was humbled and honoured to receive the award.

“Knowing how much others do for the community, it is particularly humbling,” she said.

Cr Watts also said it was also pleasing to represent women in the award system, where gender equity was yet to be achieved.

She has been a councillor since 2011 and most recently has taken a keen interest in the maritime heritage of Docklands.

In particular, Cr Watts wants to see a maritime heritage museum established in Docklands. She chairs the City of Melbourne’s “Knowledge City” portfolio, which covers education and museums.

“There is general acknowledgement among stakeholders that an opportunity exists to establish a Docklands museum as a permanent tourism attraction in Docklands,” Cr Watts told Docklands News last July.

“The absence of a Docklands museum should be understood to be an undeveloped cultural asset. The point of ‘differentiation’ for this proposed museum is the specific focus on commerce or trade, stevedoring and specialist shipping.”

Speaking on January 28, she said momentum appeared to be growing and she would be concentrating in the new year on developing an appropriate governance model which could be taken to government.

Cr Watts has a track record in community activism, advocating on behalf of residents and ratepayers through her work as Convener with the Carlton Residents Association, CoRBA-Melbourne (Coalition of Resident and Business Associations) and more recently, with the Carlton Alliance, a group dedicated to reunifying North Carlton with the City of Melbourne.

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