Troy Pickard


Troy Ernest Pickard was an Australian politician and businessman. He was the longest-serving mayor of the City of Joondalup from 2006 to 2017, deputy mayor of the City of Stirling from 2001 to 2005, president of the Western Australian Local Government Association from 2010 to 2015, and president of the Australian Local Government Association from 2014 to 2016.
Pickard is widely recognised as a prominent advocate and a transformative figure in local government. As mayor of Joondalup, he played a pivotal role in shaping the city's growth, leading major infrastructure projects and fostering strong community engagement. During his tenure as president of WALGA, he opposed the Western Australian Government's proposals for forced council amalgamations and highlighted the importance of cooperation between state and local governments to ensure effective and sustainable reforms. At the national level, as president of ALGA, he successfully led campaigns to restore the indexation of federal Financial Assistance Grants after they had been frozen by the federal government in 2014 and secured a record $1.1 billion in Roads to Recovery funding, the largest single federal funding injection for local government in Australia at the time.

Political career

City of Stirling

Pickard began his local government career in 2001, elected to the coastal ward of the City of Stirling. There, he was deputy mayor from 2004 to 2005.
He left the City of Stirling in 2005.

City of Joondalup

In May 2006, Pickard was elected as the third mayor of the City of Joondalup at the age of 33, he was the youngest mayor in WA and one of the youngest in Australia at the time. He won 15% of the vote, and beat ten other candidates. This was three years after the previous Joondalup council had been sacked. Between December 2003 and his election in May 2006, the City of Joondalup was controlled by state government appointed commissioners. He was re-elected in 2009, gaining 54% of the vote and beating two other candidates, and in 2013, gaining 57% of the vote and beating one other candidate.
Under Pickard's leadership, Joondalup experienced significant economic development. In 2014, he announced that over $1 billion had been invested in the city within a single year, reinforcing its status as Western Australia's "second CBD" and attracting new business and investment to the northern corridor.
In 2015, Pickard announced the Tri-Cities Alliance, a collaboration between the cities of Joondalup, Stirling and Wanneroo. The alliance aimed to coordinate regional development, promote economic growth and advocate for infrastructure investment. It lobbied the federal government to invest in the area, highlighting the region's potential as a major population and economic hub. The alliance also focused on attracting investment, creating job opportunities, supporting improvements to transport, healthcare and educational infrastructure to meet the needs of the growing community.
Pickard was instrumental in many major infrastructure projects. He championed the investment of almost $20 million in new community facilities and negotiated the $4 million investment into the State Government owned and operated HBF Arena. Pickard also helped secure State Government support for the Ocean Reef Marina, a $120 Million initiative aimed at transforming the Ocean Reef Boat Harbour into a vibrant marine precinct. He also lobbied for commitments for other key projects including the Joondalup Performing Arts and Cultural Facility, Coastal Kiosks/Cafes and the development of the City of Joondalup's Central Business District.
The City of Joondalup undertook other significant projects during his tenure, such as the Warwick Hockey Centre, a $6.3 million facility featuring international-standard pitches and clubroom facilities, which became a hub for hockey in the northern suburbs.
In 2011, the City of Joondalup was named the “World’s Most Liveable City” at the UN-endorsed International Awards for Liveable Communities.
In October 2017, Pickard was recognised in the Australian House of Representatives by the Member for Moore, Ian Goodenough, for his “exemplary service” to the Joondalup community and to local government nationally, highlighting his stable and visionary leadership and his contributions to the economic and community development of the City.
In June 2017, Pickard announced his intention to stand for re-election at the 2017 mayoral election, citing concerns about other candidates supporting "kneejerk reactions addressing a local issue just to sweep up a handful of votes rather than consider the broader ramifications and implications for the City". He also emphasised the importance of the Joondalup Performing Arts Centre and the need for a mayor who is "youthful, energetic, well-connected, had a vision for the future" and “does not react to the squeaky wheel”. He added that “if I feel that a person puts their hand up that is capable and confident to do the job, then I would step aside.” In July, following a meeting with Albert Jacob, former Liberal member for Ocean Reef and former Environment Minister, who flagged his intention to run for mayor, Pickard announced he would retire at the next election. He said, "With a person like Albert Jacob putting his hand up, I'm confident the community will have a good option." Reflecting on a decade of leading the city, he said it was the right time to step aside and "make way for a new mayor". Jacob subsequently won the election, succeeding Pickard as mayor.

WALGA

On 13 December 2007, Pickard was elected deputy president of the Western Australian Local Government Association. On 7 April 2010, Pickard was elected as the president of WALGA, after previous president Bill Mitchell resigned.
This period is marked by significant challenges for the local government sector, and Pickard's leadership was instrumental in navigating the complexities of local government reform and financial sustainability. Although WALGA initially supported the state government's proposals for forced council amalgamations, Pickard became a vocal opponent, arguing that the reforms lacked adequate funding and could place undue strain on councils. He also fiercely defended local government against criticism from the state, rejecting claims that councils were a major source of corruption and emphasising the need for collaboration and consultation rather than top-down mandates. Pickard advocated for sustainable local government through integrated planning, shared services, targeted training, and other sector-led initiatives.
Pickard's tenure also coincided with a period of "reform fatigue" within the sector. Many councils and shires were feeling exhausted following extensive sustainability reviews and community consultations. Pickard acknowledged these challenges and advocated for a reassessment of the reform agenda, emphasising the need for policies that were both effective and considerate of the capacities of local councils.
He stayed in his role at WALGA until 1 July 2015, wanting to stay until the end of the state government's local government mergers.

ALGA

On 12 November 2014, Pickard was elected president of the Australian Local Government Association, becoming the first Western Australian to hold the position in 30 years. His election coincided with a period of concern within the local government sector over federal funding cuts, particularly the freeze on Financial Assistance Grants, which collectively affected councils by $925 million through 2017–18.
As President of ALGA, Pickard was a member of the Council of Australian Governments, which comprised the Prime Minister, Premiers and Chief Ministers of the states and territories, and the ALGA President.
Pickard successfully led ALGA's campaign to restore the indexation of Financial Assistance Grants, controversially frozen by the Coalition government in 2014. ALGA's success in securing an extra $1.105 billion in Roads to Recovery funding in June 2015, was the biggest single funding injection local government had received from the Federal government.
As ALGA President, he advocated for the interests of councils nationwide, emphasising the importance of securing adequate federal funding and representing regional issues. His leadership was described as reflecting the growing significance of Western Australia in national local government discussions and his ability to synthesise the challenges and capabilities of local communities to negotiate outcomes with the federal government.
On 12 November 2016, Pickard left his role as president of ALGA after serving one term.

State politics speculation

In a 2010 interview with Business News, Pickard said he would not rule out entering state or federal politics, stating, “I think it is fair to say when it's in your blood, it's in your blood.”
Throughout Pickard's career in local government, there was speculation that he would seek Liberal Party preselection for state parliament. In 2014, Pickard was considered a frontrunner for Liberal preselection in the seat of Hillarys, alongside Peter Katsambanis, amid uncertainty over the position of sitting MP Rob Johnson. Despite this speculation, Pickard did not pursue preselection.
In 2017, when discussing his decision to retire at the next Joondalup mayoral election, Pickard told the Joondalup Weekender that he was unsure what was next for him, but it would “definitely not” be state or federal politics.

Private sector

Prior to local government, Pickard was the sales manager for Metso Minerals where he was responsible for the successful reconfiguration of the distribution network in the region.
Pickard was also a Senior Project Director at The Right Group from 2004 - 2005.
In June 2016, Pickard founded Franchise Fusion Group, which was the Western Australian master franchisee of the Bucking Bull roast meat restaurant chain. In late 2017, Pickard opened a nitro coffee shop named Primal Pantry in Brookfield Place. Primal Pantry was operated by a subsidiary of Franchise Fusion Group. By January 2020, Franchise Fusion Group and its subsidiaries were in liquidation, with over $1 million of creditor claims.
He was later the General Manager for Global Drone Solutions.