Gold Coast council elections: What life is like for candidates on campaign trail

This job features a months-long interview process and a near $23,000 application fee. Most hopefuls are rejected. Yet on the Gold Coast, people are lining up to have a go. Here’s why.

It features one of the longest job interviews anyone will ever do. The application fee is $22,950. And if you succeed, all and sundry will hold you responsible for everything from building heights to bin collections.

Yet there are plenty of people hoping to become one of 15 Gold Coast City councillors at elections in March.

A veritable Melbourne Cup field - or is that an Everest-esque field - are lining up to contest the Division 7 seat, currently held by Cr Ryan Bayldon-Lumsden, who is not able to exercise his duties on account of being suspended on full pay while facing a murder charge. His lawyer has indicated he intends to defend the charge.

Outside of Division 7, we can expect some interesting contests in other areas too, with experienced councillors William Owen Jones, Hermann Vorster and Pauline Young all due to depart.

Thanks to the lengthy advance notice given by Cr Owen Jones, the first candidate to officially declare their run was Naomi Fowler in Division 2 back in May.

It means her job interview is the longest – “it’s a 300-day campaign for me”, she says.

Division 2 candidate Naomi Fowler at the Helensvale Senior Citizens club.

This columnist met Ms Fowler on the campaign trail recently and it gave an insight into the work all serious candidates face if they are to have any hope of being elected.

Her morning went from the good people of the Helensvale Senior Citizens Club, where questions included when they would be getting a portrait of King Charles, to morning tea at the Oxenford Men’s Shed, where topics included crime, the Coomera Connector and scams targeted at elderly people.

And then it was on to a few hours door-knocking.

Repeat for 300 days and you have your campaign.

“I have never worked harder,” says Ms Fowler, who previously ran her own multimillion-dollar communications business.

So why run for council?

“I sold the business three years ago,” she says.

“For the first time in my life I had the chance to do something different, something more meaningful for the community.

“Then the news came that William Owen Jones was stepping down.

“I decided to run four weeks later.

“(I have) the business acumen, communication skills and experience with multimillion-dollar budgets.

“I’m a big believer that when things feel really aligned it’s meant to be and it feels really aligned.”

Division 2 candidate Naomi Fowler at the Oxenford Men's Shed.

The $22,950 is the limit candidates can spend on their campaigns, putting a hard limit on advertising. It means wearing out shoe leather is the best way to connect with voters.

Doing so is giving Ms Fowler a great insight into community concerns – parking is frequently mentioned, and she’s pushing for solutions at Damien Leeding Memorial Park and the new Hope Island train station.

She is also keen to talk to locals about council plans for sporting facilities at Regatta Waters in Oxenford.

“Definitely a focus area for me will be to get this up off the ground,” she says.

Ms Fowler faces a serious battle for the seat in the form of popular local school chaplain Ben Findlay, who has been officially campaigning since September, but has been on the sausage sizzle circuit since March – one month after Cr Owen Jones announced his retirement.

How has he found the campaign to date?

“I haven’t slept more than five hours in the last two months,” says Mr Findlay.

“But it’s been really positive. I’ve been conversing with a lot of locals.

“The big thing that I’m finding is a lot of locals are concerned about the Coomera Connector coming through. Particularly in Helensvale and Monterey Keys.

“People are concerned about Discovery Drive. When the cars come off the Coomera Connector at Helensvale Rd, when Stage One North opens up, they’re going to avoid the M1 to get to Brisbane Rd so they’re all going to come down Helensvale Rd and Discovery Drive. Locals are not keen to see Discovery Drive become a Discovery car park.

“I’ve been out attacking the issue with footpaths and access to public transport and stuff like that.

“I’ve been reporting a lot of footpath trip hazards and potholes.”

Division 2 candidate Ben Findlay. Picture: Glenn Hampson.

Hard work it certainly is, but it’s democracy in action.

Local people, who clearly care deeply about their communities, putting themselves out there to make a contribution, knowing that it’s not going to be an easy ride.

There will be some tough choices for voters to make in March. People will have different opinions about who is best suited to help navigate this city through the challenges it faces.

But we should all agree on one thing: it takes a lot to put yourself forward at the ballot box, to take on that very trying and lengthy job interview. Those who put their hands up should be commended for doing so.

Follow @keithjwoods