I’m reaching out to ask for your vote in the QPRC Local Government election on September 14th. I am standing for election as an Independent, and this website provides insight into who I am, my perspectives, and the initiatives I plan to champion for you if elected after eight-years off Council.
During my previous term on the Council from 2008 to 2016, I was a strong resident-advocate for responsible budget and financial planning. This approach helped our Council navigate the Global Financial Crisis successfully, maintaining safe cash deposits, expanding infrastructure, and modernising communications, all without raising rates above the CPI for eight consecutive years.
Chief Engineer Cunningham explaining to (L to R) Councillors Crozier, Graham, and Cockram the workings of the Braidwood Waste Treatment plant.
I’m raising my hand to return to Council because of seeing the shambles the current councillor majority has accomplished. They’re raising our rates by 64% over the next 3 years, while at the same time giving themselves huge pay rises. Since the start of this current term of Council in 2021, debt has risen by an eye-watering $100 million, all of which we ratepayers must pay for. The lead councillors, Winchester, Wilson, Willis, and Taskovski have shamelessly stated they are proud of what they did during the past three years and want to be re-elected to continue down that same road.
Renters and ratepayers are struggling to keep up with the cost of living as it is. They do not need Council to continue wasting their money on vanity buildings and developer welfare projects. It must stop! Families and individuals must come first!
From the start of the next term, I am keen first and foremost to make Council’s finances transparent and to pull them back in line with residents’ capacity to pay rates. I want to seek as a matter of policy that any large project expenditures go to the residents as plebiscites for their concurrence or rejection, as they personally are accountable for the financial undertakings of Council. Residents should not learn for the first time in their rates notice or rent rise notice about eighty-million-dollar vanity and developer-welfare projects that Councillors or Administrators signed them up to.
Until Council is financially sound again and keeping its core social contract with the residents, while residents are not taking food off the table to pay their rates or rent, there is no need to dabble around the edges of community with flowery projects. Nor should Council spend time or money on international undertakings such as UN and WEF initiatives. Council should not be selling valuable land assets to paper over the debt, rather than getting to the bottom of the problem that created it in the first place. And, lastly, Council should not be spending ratepayer time and money attempting to perform functions of a commercial nature that a market can perform, be that EV Charging Stations, cinemas, or real estate developments.
In my conversations with residents, most people want to have a friendly and cooperative community and a place everyone can feel proud identifying with. It’s time for Councillors to lead us beyond so-called ‘visioning’ and talk, to positive action and outcomes, starting with reestablishing a sound and prudent economic and cost foundation for QPRC.
If elected, I’d champion through Council some specific goals for residents, and support us working with Federal and State governments where necessary to achieve them. These aims include:
- Rollback at least half of the 64% special rate increase
- Reduce Council debt and eliminate financial waste and vanity projects
- Increase Council focus and work on its core obligations especially road improvement and development application processing times
- Eliminate expensive and wasteful expenditures that benefit the bureaucracy but not the residents.
- Fully rollback the recent 33% councillor pay, and superannuation rises.
While Councillors are not actually hired, this election is our opportunity to elect new people who will repair the shire and put it on a stable track again. Let’s prioritise skill and achievement over party ideologies and allegiances.
The power IS in your vote. By choosing wisely, we can create a united, prosperous Shire with common strengths and common sense, free from excessive rates, charges, and disrespect.
If you give me your vote, I’ll give you my word to work to sincerely make Council a fare and honest institution that spends money wisely and becomes worthy of your respect.
Click on this link and let me share with you more about me and my background.
Click on this link for my How to Vote recommendations.
In case you haven’t given the 18% per year for three-year rate rise much thought, give this simple chart a moment of your attention..
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