About Cr Nicholas Wright
Cr Nicholas Wright came to Leeton in 2017 and decided to stay when he was appointed to his dream job, managing the local TAFE campus. Although he and his family were originally from Finley, they are now mainly distributed around the Riverina and a few on the coast.
Nicholas' career has been government-focused for a long time, as he previously worked at the University of Melbourne in a communications role, and before that in the Communications teams in government departments in Melbourne and Sydney, dating back to 2007, including in government relations teams interfacing with ministerial staff.
A lifelong unionist, Nicholas volunteered at Trades Hall in Melbourne, and when he re-entered the NSW public sector, became a member of the Public Service Association and soon after in 2019 an elected delegate representing TAFE workers. Nicholas has served as Chair and Secretary of that departmental committee, participating in enterprise bargaining negotiations as well as assisting union members in workplace disputes, and through major workplace change.
Nicholas is passionate about making a meaningful contribution to the betterment of Leeton as a community, both in his work at TAFE, as well as through volunteer activities.
Nicholas has been a Rotary Club member since 2018 and served as President during COVID, and is enthusiastic about the fundraising and community service activities he does with the club. The Rotary values are something that Nicholas holds as a touchstone for how he treats others in life and in work, and now as an elected Councillor at Leeton Shire – he applies the four way test of is it the Truth, is it Fair to all concerned, will it build Goodwill and Better Friendships, and will it be Beneficial to all concerned?
Once he was involved in Rotary, other opportunities to give back opened up for him, and Nicholas is now the Chair on the board of GetSet Inc, and Secretary and co-manager of Leeton Connect Inc. He is passionate about both organisations because of the genuine good they do for the community, particularly in unlocking the potential of Leeton residents, whether they are at the start of their careers or retired and working hard as volunteers.
Seeing people come to TAFE not knowing what they want to be and then leaving after months or years as confident and skilled, and believing in themselves, is what Nicholas says is the most rewarding part of his work.
Nicholas studied at the undergraduate level in Urban Planning for five years before deciding not to pursue that career path, however as Councillor his previous study serves him well as he is enthusiastic about increasing housing supply, and making Leeton and its surrounding villages high quality urban environments with something to offer everyone at every stage of life and at every income level. Nicholas is a strong supporter of the Roxy redevelopment and is looking forward to making his small contribution to whatever the Roxy becomes next.
Nicholas co-founded the Leeton Pride Festival which had its inaugural event in October 2023, and says "The Rainbow Pride Festival is important for the young LGBTIQ+ people uncertain about how they will be received as they grow into themselves, and also for our older residents who hold some uncertainty due to their experiences in less kind parts of our history. It was wonderful to see and hear how welcome and safe so many queer youths felt when they realised that the Festival was welcomed with open arms by their fellow Leetonians. It was also very fun!".
Committee Membership:
- Light Up Leeton Committee
- Whitton Court House & Historical Museum Committee
- Infrastructure Working Group
- Leeton Flood Plan Management Committee
- Leeton Local Traffic Committee
- Leeton Shire Heritage Committee
- Whitton Town Improvement Committee
- Collaborative Care Health
- Bushfire Management Committee
Portfolio Lead:
- Diversity & Inclusion
- Heritage & Art Deco