Hervey Bay Gossip

Local Government elections here in Hervey Bay next March should definitely be interesting. If you’ve been reading Strewth lately and think that you could do a better job than our current crop of local representatives then the Minister for Main Roads and Local Government has something that might interest you.

There won’t be auditions, but the call has gone out for talented, community-minded Queenslanders to consider standing for their local council at the local government elections next March.

Local Government Minister Warren Pitt today announced the start of a Statewide ‘How to become a councillor’ seminar series promoting election to local government as a career choice.

Mr Pitt said with a little over five months until the next council elections he expected the Government’s high profile local government reform program would ensure the 2008 council elections were keenly contested.

“There is no doubt local government reform will change the face of local government in Queensland and it has placed the sector well and truly in the spotlight.

“Next March, Queenslanders will vote in 73 local government areas. Of these 73 councils, 38 are existing councils, 31 are new councils and four are existing councils with changed boundaries.

“In those 73 local government areas, people will be voting to elect 73 Mayors and 480 councillors, to represent them and take their council forward into the future.

“There is a large pool of existing councillors, many of whom no doubt will put themselves forward as candidates for election.

“Potentially there could be an even larger pool of members of the public who also believe they can make a contribution to their council and their community, and be part of building a new, stronger system of local government.

“There is certainly nothing wrong with vigorously contested elections. As a rule, the best representation is achieved by voters selecting from the best available field of candidates,” Mr Pitt said.

Mr Pitt said the Department of Local Government would conduct 17 ‘How to become a councillor’ seminars around the State, starting on Tuesday 9 October 2007.

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During a visit to Office Works in Bundaberg last week one staff member informed me that we could look forward to having our very own Office Works right here in Hervey Bay.

He wasn’t aware of where the store would be located but suggested that the opening date would be about 12 months away.

That’s an interesting question and one that Strewth is dealing with on three levels today. Rather than post links to each of the three posts I’m feeling a bit tired after a hard day’s work so just follow this link to Strewth and read the top posts for October 2.

Those posts raise some interesting points and ask some difficult questions … none of which will probably ever get answered.