Following much deliberation and consideration, I would like to formally announce my intention to run for the position of Mayor, Scenic Rim Regional Council in the upcoming 2024 Local Government elections with an official declaration scheduled for 15 October 2023 at 3:00pm at the Scenic Rim Regional Council building.

I don’t make this decision lightly. I have been fortunate to work within the Council environment for the past four years as Councillor and the previous eight years in the capacity as Local Controller, Scenic Rim State Emergency Services. This has provided me with the opportunity to identify and experience the strengths within our Council and the areas where we are vulnerable. I have also listened to residents and business owners who are advocating for me to take on this challenging role. I absolutely believe I am the right person to build on these strengths and provide the much-needed leadership to address the vulnerabilities and take us into the future.
My leadership positions within the military and the State Emergency Service equip me with the required skills and I believe my inclusive, transformational leadership style is exactly what the Council requires. I have demonstrated my commitment to my role as Councillor and affirm that I will perform duties as Mayor with equal vigour, passion and commitment.
If I am elected Mayor, my term will be about Leadership, Respect and Stability. The elected Councillors in this Region need to be empowered to make a difference and be respected for the skills that they bring to these elected positions. My commitment is to foster their skills and strengths, bring unity and stability to the Council and to pave the way to ensure our Region is successful well into the future.
I have consulted and listened with many people across the Region who are all saying the same thing… They want a different style of leadership in Council. I believe that I will fulfill that mandate.
I look forward to discussing this further at my official announcement on Sunday 15 October 2023.
Jeff McConnell
Mayoral Candidate
Scenic Rim Regional Council
LAMENTABLE LOSS
The Tamborine Mountain Progress Association (TMPA) had operated for 108 years. It gave residents a common point for input to the development of our iconic Island in the Sky. The success of this thoughtful approach is evident. The area is recognised as a major regional resource much enjoyed by residents and visitors. And now the TMPA is gone. That this was due to action by our Council is an outrage. Regrettably, the ground rules have been changed and the long-term consequences must be of great concern.
The present disaster arose from Council’s actions in the Land and Environment Court. This Court is often called on to settle disputes involving interpretations of Planning Schemes. Residents can be severely affected. They must be able to put their case without the spectre of being required to pay the possibly massive costs of other parties. For that reason, this Court has a very strong convention. This is that parties pay their own costs with no claims for the award of costs being made. Under these circumstances, it has been quite usual for minor parties to appear in their own right or to become Co-Respondents with one of the major parties. If they wish, they can then take part in the hearing. I have successfully done that.
In the present case, the Council was late in deciding about an Application. The Applicant deemed that a refusal and appealed. The Council defended against the Appeal. It was joined by others as Co-Respondents: Jeanette Lockey representing the TMPA, other local residents representing themselves and Amanda Hay representing herself and other as Co-Respondents by Election. Partway through the hearing, incredibly the Council switched sides leaving the Co-Respondents stranded. After some messiness the finding was in favour of the Applicant. Flouting convention the Council then lodged a claim against their previous Co-Respondents for substantial costs. The Applicant joined in the party by making even larger claims. The Judge found in the claimants’ favour. That led to the end of the TMPA and left Amanda facing massive personal costs reputedly in the many tens of thousands of dollars. If bankruptcy resulted, she would have been disqualified from being a Councillor for several years.
However deplorable is such a sequence of events, the consequences could be even worse. The Council has set a precedent in breaking that critical convention. Not only has the Progress Association gone as an organiser but what resident would become involved if faced with the possibility of financially crippling cost awards. The ground rules have been completely changed. There would be much less restraint of a Council going its own merry way regardless of residents’ priorities. That is not good!
It wasn‘t always like this. My period in Council 1994/97 was largely devoted to a new Development Control Plan. This recognised the potential values of our plateau region, Councillors and Council Officers could not have been more helpful in drafting a far-seeing Plan implementing community priorities. provided such successful protection of our essential natural and semi-rural ambience. How things have changed!
Phil Giffard
 
Who does this Voice Referendum affect?
All indigenous Australians. Who is indigenous? Anyone who claims to have a biological connection to an ancient race, regardless of their skin colour, personal assets, income or political standing.
There is no requirement to prove an Indigenous connection.
Senators Jacinta Price and Warren Mundine are elected representatives of these communities and have faced the problems that exist there. Listen to what they have to say and why they say ‘No’.
Those pushing for the ‘Yes’ vote, including indigenous leaders; Marcia Langton, Noel Pearson and Thomas Mayo are well assimilated in white society, educated, wealthy, well connected and powerful. They have not been elected by the Aboriginal people to represent them.
Consider the face behind the Voice, Former Trade Unionist Thomas Mayo a key adviser to the Albanese government, also previously involved in Australian Communist Party forums He is on record for calling for reparations and compensation for indigenous people.
Prime Minister Albanese is the man who patted himself on the back for removing the race-based ban on alcohol in indigenous communities, without consulting the leaders. Within weeks, this saw an alarming spike in violent youth crime, alcohol related injuries and increase in family violence.
Six months later, Albanese called for an immediate restriction on alcohol sales to indigenous to stem the out- of-control violence. Where was his willingness then to listen to Aboriginal concerns on race-based problems?
The referendum details that most people want to hear are based on the Uluru Statement from the Heart, according to the PM. He insists that he has read the document and agrees with it entirely. He only read the first page. The Uluru statement from the Heart contains 26 pages in its entirety, according to the document on file and accessible to everyone to download through the Freedom of Information Act.
What is the meaning of a Voice to Parliament? What it means is the group would have input, but elected members of parliament would be the ones accountable to make any changes – and there’s no requirement for the government to actually listen to what the voice says. So, what the PM is asking you to vote for is a Voice that is not supported by many traditional Aboriginal people, is based on a statement that he hasn’t read in its entirety, can’t be enforced anyway and there is no way of identifying who is actually included as indigenous.
And that’s coming from a PM who told you to go out and plug your electric vehicle into the solar system to charge overnight.
The push for the Voice is supported by the rich and powerful, big corporations, sporting bodies, Activists, politicians but not by the Aboriginals it claims to benefit.
You are being coerced into voting Yes by corporate money thrown at famous, sporting identities who have never had a real job and have succeeded due to the present system and support provided.
Is this how intelligent people make decisions? Listen to the Aboriginal people who have been living this way. They see the problems of further interference by an inept government.
One who expected them to understand economics without ever having a language for numbers, to fill in forms and apply for benefits when they didn’t even have birth certificates.
They don’t want to be socialised into accepting our complex system.
The real racial injustice here is the expectation that tribal people, living according to their traditional values, be expected to assimilate with our complex culture.
Julie Wilkinson