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Rod Fyffe

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Rod Fyffe
OAM
Mayor of theCity of Greater Bendigo
In office
2003–2004
In office
2004–2005
In office
2010–2011
In office
2015–2016
Councilor of theCity of Greater Bendigofor Lockwood Ward
In office
2012–2024
Councilor of theCity of Greater Bendigofor Golden Square Ward
In office
2004–2012
Councilor of theCity of Greater Bendigofor Fortuna Ward
In office
1996–2004
Councilor of theCity of Bendigofor Sutton Ward
In office
1983–1994
Personal details
Born(1949-03-20)20 March 1949
Warracknabeal,Victoria,Australia
Died12 July 2024(2024-07-12)(aged 75)
Bendigo,Victoria, Australia
Political partyIndependent
Alma materMonash University(BEc)
University of Edinburgh(BA)
OccupationTeacher
Awards
  • Mayor Emeritus (2012)
  • MAVVictorian Councillor 35 Years' Service Award (2022)
NicknameThe Mayor with the Hair

Rodney James Fyffe[1][2]OAM(20 March 1949 – 12 July 2024) was an Australian politician and teacher. From 2003 to 2016, Fyffe served non-consecutively as theMayor of Bendigoon four occasions. Fyffe served as a Bendigo councillor from 1983 to his death in 2024. He was also a teacher atBendigo Senior Secondary Collegefrom 1979 to 2011.

Early life and career

[edit]

Fyffe was born on 20 March 1949 inWarracknabeal,Victoria.[3]He attended primary school inCannumandCaramut,before going to high school inHamilton.After finishing high school, Fyffe went on to study atMonash University,[4]where he graduated with aBachelor of Economics,majoring in Mathematics, Statistics and Economics.[3]After undertaking aDiploma of Education,Fyffe went on to teach at Mansfield High School, before departing for Scotland in 1975 for further studies at theUniversity of Edinburgh,where he studied a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Archaeology, Geology, Geophysics and Fine Art.[3]

Fyffe returned to Australia in 1979 and began teaching atBendigo Senior High School,[3]where he taught until 2011.[5]

Outside of politics, Fyffe was associated with theBendigo Art Galleryand had a gallery space named for him. He served as a board member of theMunicipal Association of Victoria(MAV) and the Goldfields Libraries, and was a member of the Bendigo Easter Fair Committee.[3]Fyffe served on the committee of theGolden Square Football Netball Club,in addition to acting as the club's secretary and as a canteen assistant shortly before his death.[6]He was a member of theBendigo Field Naturalists Club.[7]

Political career

[edit]

Fyffe first stood for election in theCity of Bendigo's Darling Ward in 1982, where he was defeated by 41 votes by incumbent councillor and former mayor Joseph Patrick Pearce. He ran again in Sutton Ward in 1983, where he was elected on preferences. He was re-elected with an absolute majority in the 1986 election.[8]

Fyffe was first elected as mayor of theCity of Greater Bendigocouncil in 2003.[9]He took time off from his teaching position to serve as Mayor.[9]He was elected a second time by the council in 2004.[10]He was elected a third time in 2010.[11]In his fourth and final stint as mayor (2015–2016),[3]Fyffe oversaw theBendigo Mosque protests.The protests began when the City of Greater Bendigo voted 7–2 to build a Mosque in Bendigo, under previous Mayor Barry Lyons.[12]Opponents of the Mosque attempted to appeal the construction to theHigh Court of Australia,however the appeal was dismissed by the High Court, therefore allowing construction to proceed, an outcome which was praised by Fyffe.[13]

In 2016, he was elected as Deputy Mayor, serving under Mayor Margaret O'Rourke until 2017.[14]He served once again as Deputy Mayor from 2018 until 2019. In 2020, Fyffe made another bid for Mayor but was unsuccessful, losing to Jennifer Alden.[15]

At the time of his death, Fyffe had served thirty-eight years as Bendigo councillor, having joined the City of Bendigo council in 1983.[3]He was mayor of Bendigo four times and deputy mayor twice.[3]

Death

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A few days before his death, Fyffe met with councillors of the City of Greater Bendigo to submit a self-written eulogy, detailing his experiences as a Bendigo councillor.[16]He died after a long illness on 12 July 2024, at the age of 75.[3][17]Fyffe received tributes from mayorAndrea Metcalf,federal member forBendigoLisa Chesters,state member forBendigo WestMaree Edwards,andVictorian premierJacinta Allan(state member forBendigo East), among others.[6][18]His funeral took place on 24 July 2024 at theBendigo Town Hall.[1][2][19]

Awards and recognition

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In 2012, Fyffe was given Mayor Emeritus status by theMAVfor his three mayoral terms.[20]In the2013 Queen's Birthday Honours,Fyffe was awarded theMedal of the Order of Australia(OAM) for service to local government, and to the community.[21]Fyffe was the recipient of the MAV Victorian Councillor Service Award, being included in the 35 Years' Service category in 2022.[21][20]

The 7 November 2012 edition of theBendigo Advertiserwas dedicated to Fyffe, whose third term as mayor had ended that day.[20]In 2019, Fyffe appeared on amuralcelebrating the history of Bendigo.[3]Fyffe was noted as being "among one of the most recognisable of Bendigo's residents",[3]and was often dubbed "The Mayor with the Hair" by local media.[3][17]

References

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  1. ^ab"Rod Fyffe Death Notice".Bendigo AdvertiserTributes.17 July 2024.Retrieved18 July2024.
  2. ^ab"Rodney James Fyffe OAM".Mount Alexander Funerals.Retrieved27 July2024.
  3. ^abcdefghijklO'Callaghan, Tom; Magrath, Jonathon; Loughran, Ben (13 July 2024)."Tributes flow for 'mayor with the hair'".Bendigo Advertiser.pp. 1, 5.Retrieved13 July2024.
  4. ^Pang, Simon (2013).The Local Heroes: City of Greater Bendigo.Vol. Three. Local Heroes Publications.ISBN978-0-9806160-2-6.
  5. ^Snowdon, Danielle (12 July 2024)."Vale Rod Fyffe".Bendigo Senior Secondary College.Retrieved13 July2024.
  6. ^abMagrath, Jonathon (13 July 2024)."'A champion of the people', Rod's legacy will always live on ".Bendigo Advertiser.p. 4.Retrieved13 July2024.
  7. ^Orr, Rod, ed. (January–February 1990).Whirrakee.Vol. 11 No. 1.Bendigo,Victoria:Bendigo Field Naturalists Club.p. ii.
  8. ^Cusack, Frank (1988).Annals of Bendigo.Vol. Seven. Sandhurst Trustees Ltd, Bendigo Building Society, the Bendigo Advertiser Pty Ltd, Southern Cross TV8.ISBN0-9594974-4-2.{{cite book}}:Check|isbn=value: checksum (help)
  9. ^ab"Fyffe to be new Bendigo mayor".ABC News.26 February 2003.Retrieved13 July2024.
  10. ^"New faces join Bendigo council".ABC News.28 November 2004.Retrieved13 July2024.
  11. ^"Rod Fyffe to become mayor of Bendigo".Bendigo Advertiser.24 November 2010.Retrieved13 July2024.
  12. ^Lenaghan, Peter; Parker, Fiona (12 April 2016)."Bendigo Mayor defends council amid conduct complaints".ABC News.Retrieved13 July2024.
  13. ^Australian Associated Press (15 June 2016)."Bendigo mosque: high court throws out request to hear appeal".The Guardian.ISSN0261-3077.Retrieved13 July2024.
  14. ^"Bendigo mayor and deputy named".Bendigo Advertiser.8 November 2016.Retrieved13 July2024.
  15. ^O'Callaghan, Tom (9 November 2020)."Fyffe declares mayoral run in three-cornered contest".Bendigo Advertiser.Retrieved13 July2024.
  16. ^"In his own words – for the final time".Bendigo Advertiser.13 July 2024. p. 6.Retrieved13 July2024.
  17. ^ab"Vale local government legend, Cr Rod Fyffe OAM".City of Greater Bendigo.12 July 2024.Retrieved13 July2024.
  18. ^Carswell, Adam (12 July 2024)."City mourns the passing of Cr Rod Fyffe OAM".Bendigo Times.Retrieved13 October2024.
  19. ^O'Callaghan, Tom (17 July 2024)."Funeral at Bendigo town hall: plans for Rod Fyffe's service revealed".Bendigo Advertiser.Retrieved18 July2024.
  20. ^abcDenton, Jenny (13 July 2024). "We dedicated an edition of the Addy to Rod".Bendigo Advertiser.p. 6.
  21. ^abFinlay, Alistair (22 October 2022)."Decades of service acknowledged".Bendigo Times.Retrieved13 July2024.
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