Broadbent won’t rise to rates bait in mayoral campaign

Mayoral candidate says the public is “sick and tired” of pre-election promises which won’t stick

Miranda Broadbent is running for Rockhampton Mayor in 2021

Rockhampton voters are “savvy” enough to realise no mayoral candidate can commit to a rates policy prior to being elected.

That’s Miranda Broadbent’s response after fellow candidate Nyree Johnson “threw down the gauntlet” ahead of the January 23 by-election, promising no rates increases above CPI.

Ms Johnson also called on her fellow candidates to release their rates plans.

“The public are sick and tired of pre-election promises and unfounded rhetoric that are not able to be properly substantiated,” Ms Broadbent said.

She said she would look at a range of options to lessen the burden of rates, by making council’s operations more efficient, once she was in office.

“Some time ago my husband and I discussed with council the possibility of making periodic (fortnightly) repayments towards our rates, because that would prove a workable budgeting tool for many families,” she said.

“A similar option might be a quarterly rates notice; with many residents taking up the council’s offer of paperless billing, it shouldn’t create more paper wastage.”

Ms Broadbent is running a ‘no corflute, no flyers’ campaign because she thinks such advertising materials are wasteful and intrusive.

Ms Broadbent said while CPI is a measure understood by most residents, she would investigate the move towards using the LGAQ CCI, an index calculated by Queensland’s Local Government Association.

“Ultimately it’s important that residents of a region understand whether what they’re paying is realistic and relevant,” she said.

“It’s this kind of transparency that builds trust and gives residents confidence in their Council, which is one of my key goals.

“What I won’t stand for is the likes of council paying $10,000 to a Melbourne artist for a mural which has since been painted over.

“In my bid for mayor, I’m asking voters to give me access to council policies and finances, so I can make great decisions for the Rockhampton region.”