City of Albany mourns death of councillor and inaugural mayor Alison Goode

The City of Albany is mourning the loss of its inaugural mayor and one of its most loyal servants, the “irreplaceable” Alison Goode. Cr Goode, who died on Wednesday, became the second woman elected to the Shire of Albany council in 1995, going on to serve as deputy and acting Shire president. She was a leader at the Shire during a heated amalgamation process which came to a head in 1997 when she announced the Shire supported a merger in what the Advertiser described as “a dramatic change of heart”. “Acting Shire president Alison Goode, who fought back tears throughout the announcement, said the decision had been an extremely difficult one forced on the Shire by State and Federal Government agendas and the Albany Town,” the Advertiser reported on September 11, 1997. At the time, Cr Goode said the proposed amalgamation was “in the interests of the entire community of Albany” and the “only fair and equitable way of dealing with the issue”. Two years later, she was overcome by emotion as she was elected inaugural mayor of the newly formed City of Albany — a role she filled for the next eight years. Cr Goode decided to run for council again in 2013 because she believed the City had lost focus on its “core business”. She was elected to West ward, where she has served as a councillor for the past nine years. At the 2021 local government elections, she comfortably retained her seat, seeing off her two challengers with 51.47 of the vote. In a statement on Wednesday, City of Albany Mayor Dennis Wellington said it was with “great sadness” that he acknowledged the loss of his “loved, respected and very valued colleague”. “Alison has served her community for over 20 years as an elected member and her love for Albany was at the forefront of her longstanding commitment to public service,” Mr Wellington said. “Alison’s steadfastness, wit and sharp sense of humour fostered many friendships and strong working relationships within local government and the wider community.” Mr Wellington said the council stalwart would be “deeply missed” and his thoughts were with her devoted husband, Gerry, and their family. “You will be challenged to find a more passionate, dedicated and devoted local government representative than Alison Goode,” he said. “Not having her expertise, advice, opinion and listening ear will be an adjustment for myself and for council, as we mourn her loss and remember her as the strong, passionate lady she was.”