Former South Burnett councillor Damien Tessmann … proving there is a life after politics

July 14, 2016

by Dafyd Martindale

Conservative MPs who lost their seats at the recent federal poll can take heart … there is life after politics, and former South Burnett councillor Damien Tessmann is a shining example.

When Damien failed in his bid to become the next South Burnett mayor at the March Local Government elections, rumours abounded of a plush job in Canberra as an LNP apparatchik.

But they were all untrue: the former councillor is now happily working on the family farms at Coolabunia, and he plans to continuing doing that into the foreseeable future.

Damien’s eight-year career as a South Burnett councillor come to an end when he stood unsuccessfully against Keith Campbell for the top job.

He told southburnett.com.au he was disappointed not to win after putting in a long and exhausting campaign, but has no regrets.

“Some people said I should have just stayed on as a Councillor for another term and then run, but I always thought the only things that swim with the flow are dead fish,” Damien said.

“I felt there was an opportunity there to make a difference, and after eight years I knew what the issues were. So I felt I had to give it a go.”

Anonymous rumours spread during the campaign are still a source of frustration.

“Someone was going around saying that I’d done a deal with David Littleproud not to nominate for (the Federal seat of) Maranoa on condition I get the nomination for Wide Bay,” he said.

“They said if I was elected Mayor, then I’d resign when the Federal election was called and everyone would have to go back to the polls again, which simply wasn’t true.”

The Tessmann family has three dairy farms in the Coolabunia area, and post-council Damien has been kept busy working them full-time with his brother Jason and father Gary.

Some of the land has been in the family for five generations.

“During the campaign some people said I’d never had a real job, but I respectfully disagree,” he said.

“Farming is a real job – just ask any farmer – so now I’m putting most of my time into growing the family business.”

However, he hasn’t abandoned thoughts of public service …  he’s still a senior member of the LNP, and he’s still active in Rotary.

Will he run again for political office? 

“I’m not ruling it in or out,” Damien said.

“I’m 29, so there’s still plenty of time to run for something again.

“But the South Burnett is always going to be my home, no matter what I do.”


 

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