Fraser Coast Regional Council votes to open the position of Deputy Mayor

All but one councillor has voted in favour of a yearly deputy mayor vote. Here’s how the lively debate unfolded and who’s running so far.

Fraser Coast councillors have agreed to put the position of deputy mayor to a vote next month following a lively debate about whether it should be declared vacant.

It comes as councillor Paul Truscott confirmed to the Chronicle he would be putting his hand up for the role.

In a surprisingly passionate exchange about a seemingly routine agenda item about whether to have an annual vote on the role (as has been the case every year since amalgamation) there was talk in Wednesday morning’s council meeting of a “liberal democracy” and letting others “have a go”.

Councillor David Lewis was the only elected member who didn’t see the need to go through the process of declaring the position vacant and voting on either the incumbent or other contenders, preferring an option that had been given to councillors to simply note a report but take no further action as he was “comfortable with the current arrangement”.

Councillor David Lewis. Photo: Stuart Fast

Describing reigning deputy mayor Darren Everard as “extremely hardworking”, Mr Lewis said his Division 7 colleague was across “all facets” of the job, put in a “great number of hours”, pointed to his experience in dealing with tourism and events, business and Wide Bay Water and suggested he was as well known in the far reaches of the region like Boompa and Brooweena as “anyone else”.

“Looking around the room … councillor Everard does as good a job or better than the rest of us might do including myself,” he said

But other councillors, including the Mayor, who said he was “extremely happy with (Cr Everard) and delegated more to him as deputy mayor than any previous mayor and deputy”, were at pains to show it was not about performance, but principle.

Due to Covid restrictions, Fraser Coast councillors are currently dialling in to the council meetings using council-approved backgrounds.

Councillor Denis Chapman, who previously put his hand up for the position and is understood to be eyeing it again, joked to Mr Everard that “if you need a resume, I’d go straight to Cr Lewis” but said he believed “everyone needs an opportunity to have a go at this position … it’s about letting people step up and show what they can do”.

Councillor David Lee said he meant “no disrespect” to Mr Everard but “last time I checked we were in a liberal democracy”.

He said while he had “no interest” in the position himself, he believed it was important for the vote to come every year so that people not only worked hard to get but also to keep it.

His fellow first-time councillor, Jade Wellings, also said she would not be putting her hand up as she had always maintained that one year wasn’t enough in the job to have gained enough experience for the role but that in “subsequent years I may wish to” and believed it was best to declare it vacant each year “even if it is refilled by the same person”.

Councillors Jade Wellings and Deputy Mayor Darren Everard at the Sports Precinct during an Oztag announcement. Photo: Alistair Brightman

The motion was carried nine to one, meaning that at next month’s council meeting the position will officially be declared vacant and immediately filled following the vote.

Currently, who councillors vote for is not made public.

Following the meeting, councillor Paul Truscott confirmed he would be putting his hand up after six years of serving as a councillor and enjoying working with his constituents.

Councillor Paul Truscott, a Maryborough-based councillor, has spent six years in the role and wants to be deputy mayor.

“I also have personal goals I would like to achieve in life, pushing myself and developing new skills and feel I am ready to step up and be more involved in the whole region and assist our mayor more in his duties,” Mr Truscott said

“Our council reviews the position of deputy mayor annually and whether my colleagues support myself, another councillor or current deputy mayor Everard, I thank Darren for his time, dedication and passion that he has demonstrated in the role. We have a great relationship and I’m glad to work with him, now and in the future.”