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Division 7 Councillor to be appointed at Special Meeting

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Published
23rd August 2023

Fraser Coast Regional Councillors will appoint a new Councillor for Division 7 following presentations from the 26 candidates and a secret ballot during a Special Meeting in Hervey Bay on 6 September.

At its Ordinary Meeting today, Council unanimously agreed to the selection and appointment process for the vacant position of Councillor for Division 7.

The vacancy follows the resignation of Darren Everard earlier this month. As there is less than 12 months until the next local government election, the vacancy is being filled by appointment rather than a by-election as is required under the Local Government Act.

CEO Ken Diehm said the Special Council Meeting on Wednesday 6 September at the Council Chambers in Hervey Bay would be open to the public and livestreamed on Council’s YouTube channel.

“Each candidate will be selected randomly to determine the order on the ballot paper and the order of presentations,” he said.

“Each candidate will have the opportunity to make a five-minute verbal presentation to Council in person supporting their nomination.

“At the conclusion of the presentations, there will be a secret ballot of Councillors using an optional preferential voting system in line with what the Electoral Commission of Queensland uses to select single-member divisions and the Mayor in local government elections.

“An Independent Probity Scrutineer will oversee the counting of ballots to confirm the integrity of the process, with Council to appoint the candidate who received the most votes by resolution and the new Councillor then making their declaration of office.”

Mr Diehm said the agenda for the Special Meeting, with more details about the 26 candidates’ nominations, would be available publicly on Council’s website either later this week or early next week.

The applicants are (in order of application received):

  • Luke Strochnetter;
  • Christopher Mizzi;
  • Andrew Broad;
  • Stephen Wilson;
  • Michael Walker;
  • Michelle Govers;
  • David Dalgliesh;
  • Andrew Ellis;
  • Alicia Wade;
  • Russell Lewis;
  • Wayne Madsen;
  • Dennis Langshaw;
  • Kathryn Forgan-Flynn;
  • Jan Hegge (Carlson);
  • Peter Luxton;
  • Giselle O’Keefe;
  • Chris Dale;
  • Roslyn Buerckner;
  • Sara Faraj;
  • John Weiland;
  • Sue Brooks;
  • Michael Tudman;
  • Darryl Stewart;
  • Liz Hornibrook;
  • Derik Westra;
  • Bernice Allen.