The post-amalgamation bloodbaths of 2012 aren’t expected to be a feature of the 2016 local government elections, according to Local Government Association of Queensland spokesman Craig Johnstone.
Although formal notification is yet to be received from the Electoral Commission of Queensland, it’s expected nominations will open within a week for mayor and councillor positions around the state, based on the March 19 polling date.
“The last elections were the first after amalgamation and they were particularly gruelling, in terms of a big turnover,” Mr Johnstone said. “We’re not expecting that this time.”
At the same time, a number of communities will have a different leadership team, thanks to the retirement of some long-serving mayors.
“Some of them are institutions,” Mr Johnstone said.
They include Mount Isa’s Tony McGrady, Peter Maguire from the Central Highlands Regional Council, and Will Atwood from the Etheridge Shire Council, who has decided to seek re-election as a councillor rather than as a mayor.
Others include Cassowary Coast mayor Bill Shannon, Balonne’s Donna Stewart, Mal Foreman from Bundaberg, Wayne Kratzmann from South Burnett, Noosa’s Noel Playford, and Pam Parker from Logan.
The large turnover of CEOs since 2012 - over 30 of the 77 councils in Queensland, or nearly half, have seen a change - is a greater concern for the LGAQ, according to Mr Johnstone.
“The longevity of the CEO’s terms is a concern. It’s been a feature of this term and there are continuity issues.”
The 2012 local government elections saw a record number of nominations for positions and Mr Johnstone said there was no reason to expect any dramatic drop this time around.
“The state department has been holding lots of forums and getting reasonable turnouts,” he said.
Issues are expected to be as varied as the number of councillors seeking election, but Mr Johnstone said he expected the economic ramifications of the end of the mining boom and drought would come into play.
Will Attwood turns convention on its head
He’s not been one for convention and he’s true to form this time round.
Before he became Etheridge shire mayor in 2012, Will Attwood was a country policeman.
Now, after four years in the chair, he’s stepping down from the busy job as mayor but will contest a council position.
“That’s all we’re elected for - four years,” Cr Attwood said. “I think it’s time for a new person to put forward some fresh views.”
He said that changes instituted by the Newman government meant that mayoral positions were much more full-time.
“We’ve been working on securing water supplies for Georgetown and Forsyth.
“There are a lot of projects wanting to establish in the Etheridge shire but the lack of secure water is holding them back.
“I’ve been lobbying for three years - it may need a fresh person to work on that.”
Amongst the things he’s happy to have achieved in his term at the helm are being part of the concerted effort that saw the commitment of money in the White Paper for the Hann Highway, and being able to get money for the widening of the Gulf Development Road.
“Getting money for a psychologist to offer a to-the-door service to cattle stations was good too,” he said.
As far as being able to change roles, from police officer to mayor and back to councillor, Cr Attwood said most of his time in the police force was taken up with reading and writing reports and talking to people, which wasn’t much different to what he did as mayor.
