Marika McNichol is ready to boost the Southern Downs region in 2024

Marika McNichol has big plans for the Southern Downs region if elected as councillor in 2024, and a dysfunctional council is not on the list. See what she has planned here.

Marika McNichol.

Stanthorpe’s beloved ‘Ugg Boot Lady’ Marika McNichol is more than prepared to pull on her councillor boots if elected in 2024.

Mrs McNichol is ready to finish what she started in her previous 2016-2020 council term to help ensure the future sustainability of the Southern Downs.

Among her priority projects for the region are roads and infrastructure, water security, economic development and housing, finding a new home for the Warwick dog park and a new rates scheme for pensioners.

“Our rates are very high and I had a gentleman ask me recently about introducing a credit system for pensioners, which is something I’ll be putting forward if re-elected because the state government subsidy isn’t enough,” she said.

Marika McNichol

While current councillors might not be concerned about the region’s finances, Mrs McNichol said the state of council’s debt called for concern.

“We were able to keep the rates right down in the previous term, they were down to 1.5 per cent and we managed to pay off about $12m of debt, so that’s something I’ll be trying to achieve again if re-elected,” she said.

“Something we didn’t get to finish was consulting with the smaller communities in the region to hear what it is they need improved to keep them thriving.

“For the ones we did speak to, it was all small upgrades they were asking for to help keep people coming back.”

A recent win for Mrs McNichol was seeing the Accommodation Creek bridge project begin early commencement of works, a project she passionately advocated for to the Department of Transport and Main Roads.

The narrowness of the bridge has posed safety concerns for school buses and road trains for a number of years.

Southern Downs MP Lawrence Springborg with Southern Downs councillor Marika McNichol at the Accommodation Creek bridge on the New England Hwy south of Ballandean in December 2016.

With culture at council has been called into question in recent years, Mrs McNichol said dysfunction was never an issue during her previous term and was something she wouldn’t stand for if voted back in.

“We were a peaceful council who talked about our issues openly and there was never the dysfunction that’s been seen (in current council),” she said.

“That’s just not what council is about, it’s about getting the job done and helping the community.”

In a happy coincidence, Mrs McNichol is running alongside her daughter Sarah Deane for a position on council, with both women having their own independent plans for the region if elected on March 16.