Paul Weston: The Gold Coast City Council candidates who deserve your vote on March 16 and those who don’t
Candidates are suddenly signing up to be Gold Coast mayor or councillor — for a job we pay between $166,000 to $279,000. So who should you vote for on March 16?
Council Election
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Candidates are suddenly signing up to be mayor or councillor. As ratepayers, we pay their salaries - between $166,000 to $279,000. Is a few weeks long enough to assess them?
Pre-polling starts in less than a month. You will face dozens of placards and volunteers.
Some candidates have treated this as a year-long job application.
Others are just now putting up Facebook pages. Or they are standing under tents with makeshift branding.
Look at the campaign by Naomi Fowler, in Division 2, the first to put her hand up.
Councillor William Owen-Jones in early February last year announced he would retire, allowing candidates time to engage with community. Ms Fowler was grateful.
“I completely stepped away from my business, put $20,000 of my own money in a dedicated bank account and officially announced my candidacy in late May. I’ve not earned a wage since I embarked on my 300-day job interview,” she says.
Pounding the pavement at Hope Island, Oxenford, Studio Village, and Helensvale, her plan was to visit most residents twice, to knock on more than 10,000 doors.
What does real community engagement mean?
It means attending more than 85 community and sporting group meetings and events, hosting several pop-ups and organising multiple ‘Meet the Candidate’ coffee sessions.
Then developing a comprehensive Division 2 Local Action Plan.
“I’ve been listening,” Ms Fowler says.
In October last year, Cr Owen-Jones, challenged his neighbouring community.
Some residents fighting two development applications were concerned about the lack of representation with suspended councillor Ryan Bayldon-Lumsden facing a murder charge after the death of his stepfather. Mr Bayldon-Lumsden’s legal team have entered a plea of not guilty to the murder charge.
Jenna Schroeder admits she was not quite ready to start campaigning. But when Cr Owen-Jones urged residents to “get their skates on and have a crack” she started earlier than planned.
“There’s so much I’ve learned over the last few months. When you speak to someone, it can strengthen or change your opinion,” she says.
Ms Schroeder estimates she has met hundreds of residents, leading her to prioritise some issues above those passion projects she had earlier pitched as important.
“My original vision, which was formed from my previous involvement in the community, has evolved and strengthened the more I’ve spoken to people,” she says.
“That’s exactly how I envision becoming a councillor — always engaging, listening and evolving.”
Joe Wilkinson, also campaigning early in Division 7 and again a taking leave from work with a young family, has walked the similar concrete path in the summer heat.
He has represented the Arundel Hills community and celebrated with them at the local tavern after their successful fight against the golf club residential development.
He has also “actioned” many council issues raised after doorknocking.
Others like Sam Delmege in Southport, Dan Doran and Nic Rone in Robina, Josh Martin in Palm Beach along with Joel McInnes and Edward Sarroff again in Division 7 have either aimed to profile themselves or reach out to media on issues.
On slimmer budgets at this election, those wearing out the shoe leather are serious about getting your vote. We now need to be serious about the scrutiny we give to our vote.
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