Toowoomba Regional Council 2008 by-election - voters yawn ...
The start of this ad - the only one on YouTube so far - is just embarrassing.
See - One recycled councillor tries his luck again.
The main theme of SMS comments in the Chronicle over the past couple of weeks seems to be 'no recycled councillors'.
Two recycled councillor candidates seem to be using the Chronicle's letters to the editor to promote their views. Either they are co-ordinating their letters or are just plain unlucky because they are consistently published next to each other - competing for attention. Noone seems to have told them that they can't both win. Most days the lead letter is one saying don't vote for recycled councillors.
One recycled councillor candidate has taken to using the SMS column to respond to negative SMS comments. That's just inviting more negative SMS feedback.
It's clear that most candidates don't want to spend much money on campaigning as the Chronicle is bereft of paid advertisements two weeks out from the by-election.
Maybe they are hoping the signs around the city will be enough for name recognition - poll signs are starting to pop up outside homes in Toowoomba. Some are clearly recycled. Others aren't surviving in the recent rain and wind.
It's all looking like one big yawn with no candidate shining out above all others.
Voters in Toowoomba may opt for someone actually living in Toowoomba but are unlikely to let any recycled councillor get back on the financial drip they long for ...
posted by Concerned Ratepayer at 8:59 AM
27 Comments:
Can anyone give me ONE reason that I should vote for one of the recycled councillors. They are just after the money. Let em lose and have to get a real job. They won't be missed.
11:26 AM, November 22, 2008
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2:14 PM, November 22, 2008
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3:16 PM, November 22, 2008
There is one recycled councillor who has actually stood up and fought for the NO case and that is Grahame Barron.
He could slip right into the job as he would already know it and the community knows where stand on the processed sewage.
It would be another clear message to the government and Peter Taylor and his mates
The word on the streets is that Peter Taylor & co are pushing for John McVeigh to fill the vacancy while another camp is going for Noel Cass. It seems that this election is like the last one and it is being fought by a strong word of mouth campaign. I wonder if the people will believe them this time around.
It would be a misunderstanding to think that John is against the purified recycled water as he only wants it for the farmers and he will do any thing to get it to them.
The average person has no problem with the farmers getting the class A+ water but not if it has to be pumped up a mountain via an expensive pipeline that could have recycled water in it!
3:18 PM, November 22, 2008
Another new candidate has an ad in todays paper.
Read the ad and he says he has expertise in travel - is he also wanting to dip into the public purse for travel.
3:18 PM, November 22, 2008
Remember, all by-election comments must use a name if you want them added.
3:25 PM, November 22, 2008
Sure Barron was a no voter but he did little else while on council. Having him on it will make no difference. He just wants to get back on the council money bus and stop driving a courtesy bus. He would add nothing to council. He will sit in a corner and say nothing. Tired old recycled councillors have no place on the council.
3:38 PM, November 22, 2008
I don't remember Barron being all that active about voting no in the water referendum. He voted no in council meetings but wasn't vocal at all. It was Lyle Shelton who was vocal.
3:49 PM, November 22, 2008
Former Toowoomba Councillor Graham Barron has officially nominated for the upcoming Toowoomba Regional Council by-election and said he looked forward to an opportunity of playing a part in shaping the direction of Toowoomba and the Darling Downs.
“The Toowoomba Regional Council
is now well into its term, and I believe I
have the experience and the determination
to be a part of this team as it moves
forward to address the issues facing both
Toowoomba City and the parts of the
Darling Downs the Council covers,” Mr
Barron said.
Mr Barron served on the former Toowoomba City Council for two terms, between 1997-2000 and 2004-2008. Before that he was a partner in local store TT Hardware and has also worked in the small business sector. He grew up in Mount Tyson and raised his own family in Toowoomba.
11:45 AM, November 23, 2008
John McVeigh, a fourth-generation
Darling Downs resident, businessman and father of six, is nominating for the vacancy on the Toowoomba Regional Council created by the recent sad passing of Cr Ian Orford.
John was born on the Darling Downs
and spent his childhood in the Jondaryan, Toowoomba and Crow’s Nest local government areas.
A business graduate of DDIAE (now
University of Southern Queensland) and with an MBA from Bond University, John with his wife Anita, a primary school teacher, lived and worked throughout Australia in agribusiness management positions before returning to Toowoomba 14 years ago to rear their six children.
Since that time John has maintained a management consulting practice, worked with the School of Natural and Rural Systems Management at the University of Queensland, Gatton and has become actively involved in a range of business and community
organisations.
John is chairman of the R.L. Windsor Group, an 80-year-old international food packaging machinery and supply chain solutions company, based in Brisbane. He is a board member of the Condamine Alliance, a member of the Friends of the Empire Theatre,
and was a member of the recent Queensland Premier’s Toowoomba Water Supply Taskforce.
“My wife and I have really enjoyed getting involved in numerous school, cultural and community organisations over the last 10 years. With our business activities well established and family beyond the toddler stage, I believe I am now in a position to give back to a community that has given my family
and me so much.”
11:48 AM, November 23, 2008
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9:25 PM, November 23, 2008
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7:16 AM, November 24, 2008
Graham Barron - did stand out with the other two No Voters - Lyle and Keith. Between the three of them they made several sorties into the public arena - not the hundred odd of Flanagan and Co. Graham being one of the founding members of the Hospice advised what goes down our drains and that is why he could not accept the recyling experiment
9:36 AM, November 24, 2008
To put Barron in at this election would send a clear message to the government and he comes from Toowoomba!
9:36 AM, November 24, 2008
I don't think electing Barron sends any message to the state government. Bligh isn't going to be shaking in her shoes if Barron gets elected. It just says the people in Toowoomba wanted to give someone a steady income so he doesn't have to drive a bus. Elect Barron and you won't hear much out of him for four years. But he'll have a nice salary which is surely the reason he's running. And if he's such a stand out candidate wanting to take on the state government where are his speeches calling for the state government to can recycled sewage? I don't see anything in the Chronicle. Nothing.
9:56 AM, November 24, 2008
Barron would be hard up sending a message to Withcott!
12:27 PM, November 24, 2008
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12:41 PM, November 24, 2008
He stood up with Beers and Shelton when all of the rest shouted that we had to have recycled water or we would run out.
We have not run out of water and Barron is still the best of a bad lot.
They all want the pay packet as do all who are there now.
Barron being elected would sent a clear message to the Bligh government that the "no case" still stands in Toowoomba!
12:44 PM, November 24, 2008
Anonymous comments on the by-election will not be published.
Last chance.
12:45 PM, November 24, 2008
I just DO NOT believe that Barron being elected will send ANY message to Brisbane AT ALL. Barron isn't even campaigning on a NO platform. You're putting words in his mouth
1:18 PM, November 24, 2008
That's actually true. Graham Barron isn't saying anything about recycled water in his campaign. He's not saying much of anything. It would be one thing if he was actually campaigning on the issue but he's not.
1:40 PM, November 24, 2008
Election signs must be displayed properly
Monday, 24 November 2008
Toowoomba Regional Council is seeking the cooperation of candidates in the forthcoming council by-election to ensure their advertising signs comply with council guidelines.
Candidates are being reminded that election signs are not permitted on areas such as road reserves and public parks. They are not permitted on footpaths, median strips or roundabouts due to pedestrian and traffic safety considerations.
Election signs are permitted on private property in residential, commercial and industrial areas provided they are abutting the fence line.
Candidates are given the opportunity to relocate any signs that may not meet the requirements. If necessary, council will remove any non-compliant signs.
For more information, please contact Council’s Regulation and Compliance Branch in Toowoomba or your nearest Service Centre.
3:36 PM, November 24, 2008
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3:52 PM, November 24, 2008
I have just recieved my ballot paper and I see that there is a Grant Orford and I have been told that he is Ian's son.
If so he will get a lot of sympathy votes.
It is a hard field to pick from and the feeling is that they do want some-one from Toowoomba.
Barron looks good to me too because he did fight to keep that sewage water out.
4:00 PM, November 24, 2008
Nephew I think
4:09 PM, November 24, 2008
A councillor makes $88,590 p.a. plus expenses. That's $354,360 for four years. That's one hell of a thank you for voting no a few years back.
9:03 PM, November 24, 2008
The following payments be authorised in accordance with the remuneration determined by the Local Government Remuneration Tribunal dated 4 December 2007:
• Mayor - 99.76% of the rate payable to a Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly, i.e. $126,250, plus the amalgamation loading of $12,970 to total $139,220 per annum, paid fortnightly.
• Deputy Mayor - 70.24% of the rate payable to a Member of the Queensland
Legislative Assembly, i.e. $88,900, plus the amalgamation loading of $9,180 to total $99,080 per annum, paid fortnightly.
• Councillor - 63.50% of the rate payable to a Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly, i.e. $80,360, plus the amalgamation loading of $8,230 to total $88590 per annum, paid fortnightly.
12:16 AM, November 25, 2008
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