Stanthorpe mum Sarah Deane wants to see more diverse voices in Southern Downs Regional Council

A Stanthorpe council candidate says it’s time to bring more diversity and less dysfunction to Southern Downs Regional Council. More details here.

A young Stanthorpe mum and small business owner has called for support as she makes her bid for a seat at Southern Downs Regional Council’s roundtable.

Sarah Deane’s political campaign has silently brewed in the back of her mind for a number of years, before she decided 2024 was a good a time as any.

“I had always thought I’d wait until the kids grew up, but I’ve realised it’s so important to have a good representation of male, female, younger, older people at the table and we are missing younger representation,” she said.

“So I thought to myself, if I don’t, then who will?”

A number of the current term of councillors have come under fire in recent years over their behaviour towards each other, as well as a string of bullying claims in council.

Ms Deane said if elected she would ensure honesty and transparency remain reflected in all aspects of council.

“I think it’s important to apologise when needed, to our co-workers but also residents,” she said.

“As a public representative I think we should model behaviour we expect from our community, at the end of the day we are only human and we will also make mistakes, but we should do our diligence to rectify the situation.”

A lot of feedback from the community has given Mrs Deane a sense there’s still a number of people who don’t feel heard by council, and feel as though they remain unaware of what’s happening in their own backyard.

Stanthorpe mum Sarah Deane has put her hand up for a seat on Southern Downs Regional Council, calling for more diversity in council.

Mrs Deane said if efficient communication couldn’t be portrayed in council, it was simply waste of time and money for the region’s ratepayers.

As for the state of council’s budget and future economic sustainability, Mrs Deane said extreme caution needed to be taken with how future money is spent in council.

“Like my dad always says ‘if you are going to do a job, then do it once and do it well’,” she said.

Within the next decade Mrs Deane said she was hopeful the division felt between communities would come to a resolution.

“I would love to see our region become untied,” she said.

“There is such a division between the towns. instead of fighting we should be celebrating the unique aspects and help them flourish accordingly.

“Instead of me giving ideas of how this would be done, I think it’s important for each town to have their say.”

Mrs Deane is also running alongside her mother, Marika McNichol, reassuring the public the pair would remain impartial if both elected into council.

“I will be 100 per cent be voting as an individual and will not be discussing council business outside meetings with anyone including my mum as it is illegal to form decisions before a meeting,” she said.

“Like many tradies, teachers and farmers in our community, children have followed in their parents footsteps because their parents have shared their love of their trade with them, and that’s certainly what my mum has done.

“(She’s) shared her passion for our community and its people with me which has inspired me to put my hand up.”