Thank you to the many residents who have contacted me to offer their congratulations and words of support.

What a whirlwind week! By-election result announced Monday, Declaration of Office completed Tuesday and then full participation in my first Ordinary meeting the same day. Whilst 57% of valid votes went my way, clearly there are 43% of voters whose votes went elsewhere. A divisional Councillor needs to represent the entire Division, not only those who voted for him/her, which is what I intend to do. I was across most items on the Agenda but abstained from voting on one item - 10.6 Waste Asset Development, Operations and Services Expression of Interest - Progress Update, as I could not offer an informed vote.
I raised the issue of the legal costs associated with Council’s successful appeal against the Beaudesert Pig & Calf Saleyards Heritage listing as this was an outstanding item from the meeting of 24 January 2023. A Council update will be provided in the near future. As Council’s legal costs are an expenditure item of interest to ratepayers, it is necessary to have full, voluntary disclosure on what court appeals have cost the community.
The untimely Agenda item 10.3 Annual Review of Deputy Mayor 2023-2024 was withdrawn.
Of most interest to me as Councillor for Division 1 was item 10.4 Scenic Rim Nature-based Tourism Strategy 2023-2032. I voted against the adoption of the 10-year Strategy as, although it rightly comments on visitor overcrowding on the Mountain “frustrating local communities…”, some areas of the region being “loved to death”, and there being an opportunity for regional dispersal away from hotspots to spread visitors more evenly across the region, there is no real plan to mitigate the impacts already evident and yet to emerge. I am an advocate of the Precautionary Principle which implies that there is a social responsibility to protect against potential harm. I feel that the Strategy, whilst comprehensive in its support of tourism, needed more work, and whilst other Councillors also raised concerns, ultimately the majority vote, which I acknowledge, was to adopt the Strategy.
For those interested in the discussion, Item 10.4 commences at the 42minute 06 second marker on the audio recording available at: Scenic Rim Regional Council Ordinary Meeting 18 April 2023 - YouTube (QR code at right). The meeting audio has attracted 175 views to date.
Out and About: I attended the launch of Eat Local Month held at Towri Sheep Cheeses – a wonderful rural venue operated by a passionate mother and daughter team, producing excellent products. I am told that the Towri Twilight Woolly Cup (sheep-racing!) is an event not to be missed on 25 June. Get involved and support our local businesses: www.eatlocalmonth.com.au/events/
I have also visited Tamborine Mountain Community Care and the Tamborine Mountain Repair Café briefly, and had a catch-up meeting with our State MP, Jon Krause, Member for Scenic Rim and thank him for his mention of my appointment in Parliament in his speech on 18 April 2023. Two local concerns re:- significant unapproved development have been brought to my attention.
Community consultation: The Draft Budget and Capital Works Program has been released for comment. Those interested are encouraged to attend the session to be held from 5.30pm to 7.00pm on Thursday 27 April at TMSS. Feedback can also be provided via letstalk.scenicrim.qld.gov.au/residents
OIA Complaint: I did not need to be an elected Councillor to have an OIA complaint. In the interests of transparency, I am currently the subject of an investigation, which commenced in November 2022, with the intent of finding me to be a vexatious complainant relating to an e-mail I sent to Council last year. To that end, I have been invited to attend an interview in May under a formal warning of my right to silence and accompanied by my solicitor… and so it begins…
I can be contacted on 0448 376 650 or via e-mail at amanda.h@scenicrim.qld.gov.au and will soon also have a Councillor Facebook page.