Colt Stafford

Aside from making my parents proud, I think what interested me most about becoming an elected member was that it gave me a great opportunity to learn about my local community and a chance to positively shape the future of these suburbs I’ve grown up in.

What I bring to the role is probably not extensive qualifications or experience, but I embrace that as someone who wants to learn. I bring to the role a more youth-centric perspective, a willingness to learn and engage, and a genuine want to ensure that people are heard and represented. 

As a younger person, I’d like to see the council engage the youth more in shaping Onkaparinga’s future, as well as finding ways to promote opportunities to the youth.

I’d also like to help improve the communication between council and community to ensure people understand and feel included in the process behind decision making.

Furthermore, I’d hope the council could help alleviate the ongoing cost of living struggles in some way, despite its difficulty. As I learn the balance between being ambitious and pragmatic, I hope at the very least people will enjoy living in Onkaparinga more before my term ends. 

I’d like to think I’m a fairly average teenager, though maybe a bit funnier. My connection to the region is that I’ve spent my entire life here in Onkaparinga, growing up in Morphett Vale.

This area is home for me, and I’ve got little reason to leave it outside of going to study at Flinders University. As for my passions, I like videogames, D&D, playing guitar and learning about history. I’m a bit of a nerd, but I also try to maintain a balance by going out, getting stronger at the gym, and otherwise keeping myself busy.

I’m still learning what it means to be a councillor, so while I learn, you can send all your difficult issues to Cr Greaves. All joking aside, my message to the residents is that I believe local government should be an expression of the will of the local community, and that I’m in this position to serve you. Whether it’s issues, questions, invites or ideas, I want to hear it all, and serve to the best of my ability. To anyone reading this interview, I encourage you to shoot me an email so that we can improve our city together.