Guide to 2024 council elections in Wide Bay Burnett, Qld

Old faces in new places, redrawn battle lines and millions in costs to ratepayers are among the hallmarks of the 2024 council elections. Vote in the poll: Is It Time For a Change?

Several candidates are already confirmed as Wide Bay Burnett residents prepare to head to the polls for the 2024 council elections.

Wide Bay Burnett ratepayers will fork out more than $2m to have their say at the 2024 local government elections, and some major shake-ups are on the cards.

Voters across the Bundaberg, Fraser Coast, Gympie, Burnett and Cherbourg local government areas will head to the polls on March 16 to decide the direction their councils will take in the next four years.

Figures released by the state government reveal ratepayers will pay an average of $7.83 per person to vote.

Changes are already afoot in some electorates.

Several incumbents have declared time on their political careers, while at Gympie and the South Burnett two councillors will vye for new seats.

Voters too are in for changes, with divisional boundaries across Bundaberg and the Fraser Coast reshuffled due to population growth.

The incumbent councils have less than three months to go, heading into caretaker mode from late January 2024.

Here’s what we know in each patch so far.

Fraser Coast council election 2024

Holding elections across Hervey Bay and Maryborough will cost an estimated $739,000.

The region’s next council will have at least one difference, with Division 5 councillor Jade Wellings declaring she will not stand for re-election.

Michelle Govers is the first name in the hat to run as Ms Wellings’ replacement.

Michelle Govers (left) is running for Division 5, the seat currently held by Jade Wellings who has announced she will not recontest it at the 2024 election.

Across the region, former Youth Mayor and Young Citizen of the Year Sara Faraj has joined the fight for Division 9.

The seat is held by David Lee, who has stepped into the state election ring to challenge incumbent Hervey Bay Labor MP Adrian Tantari.

Mr Lee will be running at that election as a member of the LNP.

At Division 10, ex-councillor Rolf Light has announced he will vie for the Division 10 seat held by Zane O’Keefe.

Young professional Luke Strochnetter will challenge for the division, too.

Division 6’s David Lewis is expected to retire.

Mayor George Seymour, Phil and Paul Truscott, and Daniel Sanderson have said they will run again.

Hundreds of Fraser Coast voters will be casting ballots for new representatives too.

Electoral boundaries across the Fraser Coast have been shifted for the 2024 election due to population growth.

The Electoral Commission Queensland has redrawn several boundaries across the region.

The biggest shift is at Aldershot where residents will now vote in Division 3 instead of Division 1.

In return, the “balance” of Maryborough West, west of the Bruce Hwy, will now vote for Division 3.

Parts of Maryborough bound by Tooley St, Woodstock St, John St and Churchill St have been moved from Division 3 to Division 4.

At Hervey Bay part of Pialba bordered by Boat Harbour Dr, Beach Rd, Main St and Charlton Esplanade, including the Pialba Caravan Park, has been shifted from Division 6 to Division 9.

Several parts of Division 7 have been moved to Division 9.

These include parts of Torquay bordered by Bideford St, Exeter St, Tavistock St and Boundary Rd, an area at Wondunna from Boundary Rd, Denmans Camp Rd, Doolong Rd and Raward Rd, and at Kawungan between the Boundary Rd Extension, Denman Camp Rd, Doolong Rd and Kawungan Way.

A piece of Division 9 from Bideford St, Exeter St, Charlton Esplanade and Robert St has been placed in Division 10.

Bundaberg council election 2024

The price of democracy at Bundaberg will set ratepayers back more than $588,000 next year.

One change is already on the cards with Wayne Honor announcing his retirement ahead of March 2024.

Mayor Jack Dempsey will run again, once again to be challenged by former councillor Helen Blackburn.

Greg Barnes and Vince Habermann have also said they will fight to retain their seats.

Businesswoman Carmen McEneany has announced her intention to run for the Division 6 seat held by Tanya MacLoughlin.

Bundaberg Mayor Jack Dempsey will be challenged by former councillor and ratepayer advocate Helen Blackburn.

Bundaberg’s divisional boundaries were given a large shake up too.

The part of Meadowvale in Division 3 will now be in Division 1, and the portion of Gooburrum in Division 4 will join it.

Parts of Bundaberg North, one bounded by Agnes St, Gavin St, Waterview Rd and the northern dwellings of Stuart St, and the other surrounded by Fagg St, Queen St and Agnes St, will be moved from Division 1 to Division 4.

Residents in some corners of Bundaberg will be voting in new divisions in 2024.

A section of Sharon, west of 10 Mile Rd will be moved from Division 3 to Division 1, and a block at the corner of Batchelors Rd and Loeskow is being moved from Division 1 to Division 4.

Division 2 is gaining the remainder of Alloway from Division 6, and the balance of Gregory River and Elliott from Division 3.

Sections of Branyan and Booyal in Division 2 are now in Division 7, and 3 respectively.

Part of Meadowvale in Division 3 has been moved to Division 1, and a block at Millbank between Penny St and Duffy St has been shifted from Division 8 to Division 4.

Another block at Millbank on the banks of the Burnett River has moved from Division 4 to Division 8.

Avenell Heights will now be entirely within Division 10, instead of being split between it and Division 7.

Gympie

Ratepayers will be paying more than $342,000 for the elections across Gympie.

There will be a guaranteed shake up at Division 6, with Deputy Mayor Hilary Smerdon stepping away from the seat to fight for the Division 1 role held by Jess Milne.

Gympie Deputy Mayor Hilary Smerdon is vacating the Division 6 seat he has held since 2016 to fight for the Division 1 position held by Jess Milne.

Mayor Glen Hartwig, Dolly Jensen, Bruce Devereaux and Dan Stewart have said they will run for re-election.

The divisional boundaries remain the same as at the 2020 election.

South Burnett council election

Delivering the elections across the South Burnett will come at a price tag of more than $297,000 for ratepayers.

One change is in the works at Division 4 where incumbent Kirstie Schumacher vacate the seat fight for the Mayoral job held by Brett Otto.

Disability advocate Rhonda Trivett is contesting for the Mayoral seat too.

Mr Otto has not yet revealed whether he will seek re-election.

No changes have been made to the region’s Divisional borders.

North Burnett council election

Ratepayers in the North Burnett will hold there elections at a cost of more than $43,000 to ratepayers.

Its divisional borders are unchanged.

Cherbourg council election

Delivering the 2024 election at Cherbourg comes at an $8000 cost to the region.

Cherbourg is an undivided electorate.