No one will ever achieve what I have: Mackenzie on his retirement

BY JESSICA ROUSE

Not two weeks after he pronounced no one is better for the job than he is, Port Stephens Mayor Bruce Mackenzie has now decided to retire.

After 49 years on council, he says the "time is right" and he's leaving the council in a good position to move forward.

"As I drive around Port Stephens no one will ever, ever duplicate the things that I have organised and the investments I've made for Port Stephens rate payers in Salamander, Raymond Terrace and especially Newcastle - take Newcastle, for instance, my investments are bringing in the Council excess of $2.25 million a year," said Bruce Mackenzie.

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Next year would have marked 50 years since Bruce was elected into council and he's played a big part on council ever since.

He says no one will ever achieve what he has during his time.

"There's that many councillors running, the people that are thumping their chest and say they're going to do wonders and some of the things they say they're going to do I just sit back and laugh and think mate you're just comedians."

Now Bruce says it's time to spend time with his grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. He won't be sitting still, he plans to tend to his 10,000 acre cattle property at Gloucester.

If he ever did decide to stand again, Bruce believes there's no doubt in his mind that he would win.

"I can't continue to stand and seek re-election because who's going to go there, I've just got to run my life after all of the service I've given to Port Stephens. And while I've got a lot of knockers, I've got a lot of supporters too."