Linda Little to run for Division 2 in South Burnett elections

A passionate foster carer, clean water campaigner and Lion’s club secretary who once had a “red hot” go at unseating David Littleproud says she’s put party politics aside and is ready to “work her butt off” as a councillor.

Linda Little is running for Division 2 in the South Burnett Regional Council election.

When Linda Little and her husband of 37 years Phil drove into Blackbutt 15 years ago, they knew instantly they were home.

Now, after living in the community for 12 years she said it was “the right time” to run for council.

This isn’t her first election rodeo, though the 60-year-old says she’s no longer tied to a political party.

“In 2019 I did run for the federal seat of Maranoa against David Littleproud … I’m not delusional, I knew I was never going to win as I ran for the Labor Party,” she laughed.

“One day the Labor Party rang and asked me if I would like to (run). I was a person that lived in Maranoa who they thought was capable of giving it a red hot go and I did and I had a great lot of fun doing it.”

“Since 2014 I am not currently a member of the Labor Party, I have not renewed my membership and I’m doing this completely as an independent and self-funded, I am not taking donations or gifts.”

The Littles built their house about 12 years ago just north of Blackbutt after going on a road trip through the region 15 years ago.

“As we came down the hill into Blackbutt my husband and I both looked at each other and said ‘wow, this place looks pretty good’.”

Linda Little is running for Division 2 in the South Burnett Regional Council election.

Although the pair don’t have children of their own, they have helped raise dozens of children through foster care.

“Just in the last two years we’ve had over 50 children come and stay with us either short term, medium term or long term … we’ve always got children here.

“Why not, why not give them a chance to have a great life, especially in this area, it’s so relaxed, they don’t have the pressures of the big cities and all the other massive distractions, you can just relax and be yourself,” she said.

One of their foster kids has been with them for about 13 years and is about to start university.

“It’s fabulous considering I didn’t think he would finish year nine,” she said.

Along with fostering, Ms Little is the secretary of the Lions Club in Blackbutt as well as secretary of the Timbertowners sporting and community hub.

“We do a lot of community work around our area here … it keeps me busy and keeps me out and about.”

Since living in the region she said members of her community had been asking her to run for years

“I was first approached in 2020 to run for council but I had recently received three young foster children who needed me to be at home so it wasn’t the right time then.

“I had to get them through the trauma and transition of leaving their birth family and going through foster care,” she said.

Ms Little said she’s now in a good position and it’s “the time is right” to run.

There are two big issues she wants to tackle including roads and the controversial drinking water issue that has plagued the region for years.

Linda Little is running for Division 2 in the South Burnett Regional Council election.

“This is a first world country, we’re not a third world country … it’s a basic right for people to have clean and fresh drinking water.

“What recently happened with the water in Kingaroy, that’s just deplorable, nobody should have to go through that when we live in Australia.”

While she understood the role of councillor would be “big job” and those elected would need to lobby the state and federal governments for funding, she doesn’t believe the current South Burnett Regional Council has done enough about the problem.

“Finding the money for it without it costing more to the rate payer, it’s going to be our biggest challenge,” she said

“I’m just disappointed that the council over recent years have been more reactive than proactive about it … it’s an ongoing issue and it needed to be a number one priority and not put on the back burner.”

Ms Little said regardless of whether she won or lost she would continue to work for the community.

“I’ll work my butt off to achieve a good outcome for them,” she said.