Whitsunday Regional Council candidates come forward ahead of local election
With one week left for candidates to the Whitsunday local elections to come forward, we have compiled the list of early contenders. Check out who’s vying for your vote.
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With one week left for candidates to the Whitsunday local elections to come forward, we have compiled the list of early contenders, with some old and new faces.
Running for Mayor
Peter Hood has announced he will be running for the seat of mayor in the upcoming election.
Mr Hood had already been a candidate for the mayoral seat at the 2022 by-election, which saw former One Nation candidate Julie Hall elected as mayor.
Mr Hood has lived in the Whitsundays for 25 years and has pursued a career as an accountant, a tax agent and as an asset manager auditor.
If elected mayor, Mr Hood says he wants to put his experience in this industry to use in his role, with a firm focus on reducing WRC rates and reviewing the council’s financial position.
Mr Hood also wants to advocate for all mayoral candidates to have to sit a 15 minute Basic Bookkeeping Exam to “qualify their eligibility” as the council represents “a $1.2 billion trading enterprise”.
Running for Councillor
Division 3 councillor John Collins has vowed continue pushing for development projects in his division.
Mr Collins is a long standing Proserpine resident who has started his career as councillor in 2012.
Mr Collins mentioned the Lake Proserpine Masterplan and Stage 1 development, the Proserpine Entertainment Centre and the Proserpine Water Park as highlights of his time in office.
Mr Collins said he would continue to advocate for projects such as bringing a new RV Park for the town, rebuilding the Wilsons Beach Swimming Enclosure or finding “new ways for the younger generation to enjoy their spare time”.
The closure of the Proserpine RV Park had been a disappointment for the councillor, when he was outnumbered on votes not to renew the lease on the land last year.
“I’m proud to say that I’ve achieved some major projects for Proserpine and surrounds, but I’m not going to sit here and promise the world to be re-elected,” Mr Collins said.
“The cost of living is worse than we’ve ever seen, and my goal is to keep rates as low as possible for residents.”
Division 4 councillor Michelle Wright has confirmed she will run for the same seat after finishing her first term.
Ms Wright is a Bowen local and has a background working for the Department of Transport and Main Roads, while being a councillor runs in the family as her dad was once a councillor too.
Ms Wright said the highlights of her role so far was making progress on upgrading roads in her division, such as the Richmond Rd floodway upgrade or the Collinsville Main Street upgrade.
She also cited the Collinsville Water Park and the more recently adopted Mullers Lagoon Park Masterplan as highlights, stating that The Lagoon Park was ready for funding “if it becomes available”.
Ms Wright said her division was very large and her role involved driving many hours to get to remote communities and listen to people’s concerns.
“Being a local, I have that background knowledge, and a good grasp on the issues in the community,” she said.
“I love the people that I work with every day.”
Cr Clay Bauman is seeking to return as a councillor in 2024 and looking forward to serving a full term.
Cr Bauman won his seat at a by-election in December 2022.
Raised in Brisbane, Bauman moved to Airlie Beach in 2007 and has lived in the Whitsundays since then.
He has integrated himself into the Whitsundays and Cannonvale community through his work with sporting clubs, his membership at the Whitsunday Sailing Club and his advocacy for maintaining the “beach town character” of Cannonvale.
Cr Bauman’s top priorities, if re-elected, are bringing a library to Cannonvale, as well as a civic centre, while also working with his fellow councillors to devise a new town plan.
Cr for Division 5 Gary Simpson has announced he would run again for councillor after finishing his first term that started in 2020.
Mr Simpson said if he was re-elected, his focus would be on pushing the Galbraith Park Library Community Centre and the development of walking tracks between Dingo Beach and Hydeway Bay.
Mr Simpson, who is a cane farmer from Strathdickie, said he initially ran for councillor as he had “as much local knowledge as anyone else”.
“I know there’s a lot of things you can’t do in local government,” he said.
“(But) it’s good to be around the table and make some decisions.”
Mr Simpson said he wanted to keep going for another term as it already takes a long time for councillors to understand what their role entails and he is only starting to get the hang of it.
“I’ve learnt a lot in the last few years, it takes a bit to get your head around how local government works,” he said.
“Things happen really slowly in local government especially if the state’s involved.
“I felt I should put my hand up for another four years.
“Hopefully if the ratepayers in my division support me, it’s a privilege to represent them.”
John Finlay will stand as councillor for Division 6 at the 2024 local elections.
Mr Finlay who had studied Professional Accounting and Local Government at the University of Southern Queensland, started getting involved in council politics all the way back in 1979 when he was in Bundaberg, and moved to work at the Bowen Shire Council in 1996.
Mr Finlay accessed the Chief Executive Officer position at the Whitsunday Regional Council in 2008, to which he had resigned in November 2012, to “pursue new pathways”.
Mr Finlay, who runs an accounting firm, has been treasurer for the Bowen Community Centre, treasurer for the Soccer Club and is involved in the Bowen Christian Family Centre.
Mr Finlay said it was time to get involved again in council after Cr Mike Brunker announced he was calling it quits on politics, and after having more flexibility with his accounting firm.
Mr Finlay said he would bring to the council table a background in accounting, as well as various experiences working in councils over the years.
“I know how council operates, I’ve run one myself,” he said.
When asked what he would do if elected, Mr Finlay said he would not be promising anything.
“What you have to do is just review where council is at on a number of things, and if there’s suggestions you can make, then you do so.”
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