Outstanding Service Award for Carol Provan after 20 years on Sutherland Shire Council

Times have changed and there would be uproar if that headline appeared today.

But, one thing that hasn't changed in the 33 years since then is Carol Provan continues to represent residents on the council, chalking up more than 20 years service in two stints.

Her contribution has been recognised with an Outstanding Service Award by the Local Government Association of NSW, which represents councils across the state.

Cr Provan joined the council in 1983 and served two terms until 1991, including president in 1987-1988.

She returned in 2008, serving as mayor in 2011-2012 and intends to run again at the election in September this year.

In a mayoral minute at the last council meeting, Cr Steve Simpson said, "Having resided in her representative Ward A [Cronulla and surrounding suburbs] for nearly 50 years, Cr Provan is deeply connected to the area for which she serves".

"Cr Provan is an advocate for building a supportive community for all residents, as well as enhancing local prosperity particularly for small businesses and to improve adequate services to address the increasing local population and evolving interest in the Cronulla precinct," he said.

"During Cr Provan's years of service, she has championed a number of major projects, including the Cronulla Town Centre upgrade, the Bate Bay Coastal Management Program, and the shared pathway aligning Silver Beach, Kurnell, providing the missing link to adjoin Kamay Botany Bay National Park and Bonna Point."

Cr Provan was heavily involved in community events in the 1980s when then shire clerk Athol Hill encouraged her to stand for election, telling her there were not enough women representatives who didn't have a political agenda.

She was initially an independent, but started her second stint in 2008 as part of the Shire Watch team before becoming an independent again.

Cr Provan joined the Liberal Party in 2014, encouraged by the late Michael Tynan to contest pre-selection for the state seat of Miranda, but newcomer Eleni Petinos was chosen instead.

Cr Provan said she continued to enjoy great satisfaction from her role as a councillor in helping people, particularly the elderly, with problems.

Another reason she is keen to serve another term is to see the upgrade of the Cronulla mall completed, having been shire president when it was first constructed.

Carol Provan left school at 15 and worked as a receptionist at the Royal Aero Club, Bankstown from 1959 to 1966.

Her mother, who was widowed when Carol was nine and worked many jobs to support her two children, sent her to the June Daly-Watkins Deportment School, launching a career which continues today.

She is still contracted to a major hotel group to run special events and do styling for their advertising photo shoots in the Asia Pacific region, and also works as a wedding and funeral celebrant.

Cr Provan remembers - and was not at all offended by - the Leader headline "not just a pretty face", which appeared when she unsuccessfully stood as an independent against Liberal MP Malcolm Kerr for the seat of Cronulla in the 1988 state election.

"I appreciated it then, and even more now," she said with a laugh.

"June used to say, 'It doesn't matter how good you are at your job, if you don't look good you won't even get an interview.' "

Cr Provan met her first husband, rugby league player Peter Provan, when she worked weekends in the Cronulla beach kiosk, leased by her mother, which occupied the area where Zimzala cafe-restaurant now stands.

Peter and his brothers Norm and Ian were members of the Cronulla Surf Life Saving Club.

Peter and Norm played for St George before Peter moved to the Balmain Tigers, where he captained the 1969 premiership winning team and also played for Australia.

The couple married in 1966 and have two children and three grandchildren.

Peter died after a long illness in 2010.

Cr Provan remarried in 2011, to Ross Howie.

IFRAME