OPINION: Council team with vision is needed

Councillor hopefuls need an understanding of the responsibilities and framework involved.

Ipswich City Council Administration Building and Council Chambers. Picture: David Nielsen

IT SEEMS the proposed candidates do not even have a basis understanding of a councillor's duties and responsibilities or the legal and administrative framework of a council.

With the greatest respect to Ms Kunzelman, whom I have not met personally, it appears that she would benefit from doing some research and training in the area.

It has been proposed previously in The Queensland Times that the "board of directors" model may be a good place to start when considering the skills set needed by council candidates. I agree in part with this.

An efficacious council should have a good mix of useful knowledge and skills such as political, business, administrative, financial management, legal, project management to move this city forward.

I don't doubt that there is also some room for "grassroots community people" but in the interests of this city, I suggest such representatives should not be dominant in the future.

On any objective viewpoint, the recent past of this city's administration and that of associated companies was a disaster.

If this city is to recover and move forward it needs a council team with the skills and vision to make Ipswich great. It also needs a team who are strong and independent thinkers to prevent "groupthink" creeping into the decision-making processes, and who will not be dominated by strong and vocal personalities.

It needs a team that are not predominately members of one political party whatever that party may be.

KEVIN ROSE

Brassall