CEO chimes in to help councillor win back key town

A Sunshine Coast councillor has had a win in reversing a divisional boundary change he said was driven by community groups for political reasons.

The map on the left shows existing Sunshine Coast Council divisional boundaries and the map on the right shows the Change Commission's final determination for new boundaries.

A FINAL determination has been made on a redraw of Sunshine Coast Council divisional boundaries with big changes set to affect thousands of voters at next March's council election.

Division 9 councillor Steve Robinson got his wish as the Change Commission dropped its proposal to remove Bli Bli from his patch.

In his October 11 submission to the Change Commission, Cr Robinson said there was no doubt in his mind a push by three community groups to have Bli Bli removed from his division was underpinned by a clear political motivation to influence a specific electoral outcome.

He was responding to suggestions to the commission made in May by community groups including Coolum Residents Association and Development Watch which advised of a lack of connection between Bli Bli and Coolum Beach.

Andy Singleton, Cr Steve Robinson, Mark McCafferty

They recommended excising Bli Bli from Division 9, using the Maroochy River as a boundary.

Both suggestions noted the rural residents in Division 9 had long used Coolum Beach as their district centre, while Bli Bli was linked more closely with Nambour.

Coolum Residents Association president Ray Barber expressed surprise but support in an October submission to the Change Commission after seeing the proposed Division 9 redraw, including the removal of Bli Bli.

Mr Barber said the boundary redraw had community interest value and was an improvement on existing boundaries.

But it appears that outcome will not eventuate.

Sunshine Coast Council CEO Michael Whittaker, in a submission written on October 11, the same day as Cr Robinson's, also opposed Bli Bli becoming part of Division 10.

The Change Commission has released its final determination for new divisional boundaries in the Sunshine Coast local government area.

Mr Whittaker said the current and future "community of interest" for Bli Bli was Maroochydore and north of the Maroochy River, rather than the hinterland encompassed by Division 10.

"At the regional and strategic level, council is concerned that some important historical,

emerging business and community connectivity considerations have been overlooked in

formulating the revised internal boundaries," Mr Whittaker's submission read.

"Council is concerned that the material change in divisional boundaries will negatively

impact on the understanding on the electorate and thus, good democratic outcomes."

It was the only aspect of the Change Commission's proposed changes on which Mr Whittaker made a submission.

Cr Robinson, in his submission, said he completely disagreed with submission's made by community groups seeking to have Bli Bli removed from his division.

He said there were strong historical links between Coolum and the cane growers and residents of Bli Bli, Maroochy River, Yandina Creek and Valdora.

"These families have lived, worked and recreated together for over 100 years using Coolum as their principle beachside town," Cr Robinson said

"To imply or state otherwise is patently wrong."

Other areas of change from the proposed boundary redraw included the retention of Currimundi in Division 3 councillor Peter Cox's patch.

The majority of the 112 public submissions received by the Change Commission advocated for that to happen.

Changes were also made to the redraw of Cr Tim Dwyer's Division 2, Cr Jenny McKay's Division 5, Cr Ted Hungerford's Division 7 and Cr Greg Rogerson's Division 10.

Other proposed changes, such as a redraw of Cr Jason O'Pray's Division 8 to no longer include the area around the Maroochydore Surf Club, were maintained in the final determination.

The final determination has been sent to the Minister for Local Government Stirling Hinchliffe for implementation.

Boundary changes

• March 2019: State Government announces review of Sunshine Coast Council divisional boundaries
• April 2019: Suggestions sought from the public
• September 2019: Change Commission publishes its proposed changes
• October 2019: Community feedback sought on proposed changes
• November 2019: Final determination on changes sent to Minister for Local Government for implementation
• March 2020: The changes will be in effect for the 2020 council election

Originally published as