“I grew up in a very small town in central Queensland and had zero political experience going into this position,” she said.
“The last five years as the only female Labor councillor in Brisbane City Council has been a tremendous learning curve,but also some of the most rewarding times of my life.
“I’ve had the privilege of representing our wonderful community,which to me really is like a big country town.”
Cook said she was proud of a range of achievements from her time in the role,including initiating Brisbane’s first domestic and family violence strategy and first homelessness strategy,campaigning for,and achieving,virtual council meetings,and being part of a united response to the floods in early 2022.
In 2020 during the pandemic,the council was criticised for not allowing Cook,who was pregnant at the time,to attend meetings virtually,despite spending thousands of dollars on livestreaming upgrades. Online meetings were later arranged after the pushback.
She said fighting alongside local clubs and organisations on campaigns such as those to save the Norman Park Ferry and the former East Brisbane Bowlo from demolition,the push to get the Southside Pony Club footbridge repaired,upgrades to dangerous intersections like Pashen Street and Riding Road,and campaigns against overdevelopment “have shown me the very best and strength of our collective voices”.