Mike Brunker to take deputy mayor role for Whitsunday Regional Council

The appointment comes amid concerns it will skew over-representation to the northern region.

Mike Brunker is the new deputy mayor for Whitsunday Regional Council.

The Whitsunday region has a new deputy mayor for the first time in five years.

Division 6 Councillor Mike Brunker was on Wednesday appointed to the role at the Whitsunday Regional Council meeting in Proserpine.

Cr Brunker received five votes in support of his nomination which was uncontested but came despite councillors raising concerns of over-representation in the council's northern region.

Cr Brunker and Mayor Andrew Willcox both live in Bowen.

It has been an unwritten rule, since amalgamation in 2008, to appoint a deputy mayor from the south when the mayor lives in the north and vice versa, to ensure fair representation across the region.

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Cr Brunker himself insisted on such an arrangement in 2008 and voted in its favour, but told the Wednesday council meeting that it was time for a change.

 

"This is 2021 …. If we can't get over a geographical position, how do we expect the public to think we're one regional council?" Cr Brunker said.

"This is a modern time and if we want to portray for the community that we are one regional council, this should not be a hang up."

Cr Gary Simpson questioned if ratepayers could potentially end up footing the bill for travel costs should Cr Brunker be required to travel to events in the south to stand in for the mayor.

Cr Willcox, however, said it would not be an issue.

"We certainly have come a long way from 2008," Cr Willcox said.

"I do [ceremonies] all over the place. Where I can't, I refer to the deputy, who then travels all over the place; and if the deputy can't, one of the councillors travels all over the place.

"That's how it works now. We have representation across the region."

 

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Cr Brunker replaces Cr John Collins who resigned after five years in the deputy mayor role but will remain on the council as a Division 3 representative.

Cr Collins' resignation was required under a resolution made at last year's post election council meeting, in accordance with section 175 of the Local Government Act 2009, to "have a rotational deputy mayor, starting with Cr Collins until April 2021 and to be rotated each year".

The policy did not prevent Cr Collins from standing for re-election.

Cr Brunker told the meeting he would resign at the end of his 12 month term in accordance with the rotational policy.

Originally published as Mike Brunker to take deputy mayor role for Whitsunday Regional Council