Who will run for Council this year?

UPPER Hunter residents will soon vote for who they want to represent them on their local Council for the next three years, with elections now only 100 days away.

On Saturday, September 4, approximately 5.2 million people across 125 local council areas will cast their vote at the Local Government Elections, which were postponed for twelve months last year due to Covid-19.

So far, Deputy Mayor Kiwa Fisher has announced he will be stepping down, Mayor Maurice Collison and councillors Sue Abbott, James Burns and Lorna Driscoll confirmed they will be running again, with Cr Ron Campbell remaining undecided. 

Cr Fisher said he has thoroughly enjoyed the role of Deputy Mayor but has chosen to devote his time to something else.

“I made up my mind quite a while ago and kept flicking back and forth about it but I’m 99 percent sure i’ll be stepping down,” Cr Fisher said.

“I’m 55 this year and I’ve probably got ten years that I can devote to something, I want to get back into a full time job and that sort of thing. If you want to be on Council, you’ve got to chew off a fair amount of time, especially in the Mayor or Deputy Mayor roles,” he said.

“I’ve enjoyed it, its been beneficial and I’ve met a lot of people I wouldn’t have usually met. I’ve got a better understanding of the region and the community,” he said.

Mayor Collison, Cr Burns and Cr Abbott all said they are keen to finish things they’ve started, with Cr Abbott also confirming she will be running as a Greens councillor. 

“I want to see a few projects finish. I want to put the final touches on the Scone Airport, see the Scone Saleyards come out of the black and see the Scone Revitalisation Project hit the ground running,” Cr Collison said.

“I’ve only done one term, so I don’t think I’ve achieved everything thing I’ve wanted to,” agreed Cr Burns.

“I always stand up for the people, always ask questions and never shy away from anything . . . I’ve achieved a lot regarding climate change action and I’m proud of what the Upper Hunter Shire Council is doing by signing the Climate Emergency Declaration and developing a plan to reduce green house gas emissions, so I will keep pursuing that . . . if they don’t vote me in again, then they don’t vote me again,” Cr Abbott said.

Cr Fisher encouraged Upper Hunter Shire residents who may be interested in running for Council to look out for Council’s upcoming candidate information evening.

“Before we first stood, Council held a potential candidate evening, we went in and had a chat to the General Manager and councillors. I found it really beneficial and I asked that we do that agin so people who are giving it some thought, they can ask questions and reassure themselves about Council related things,” Cr Fisher said.

“It needs to happen in June of July to give people a chance to think about nominating, working out the nuts and bolts of what you need to do before running,” he said.

Cr Abbott hopes to see more diversity in the next Upper Hunter Shire Council, including more female councillors and younger representatives.

“Hopefully we see other young women thinking about joining Council. When you look at the Council representatives, we are very old,” Cr Abbott said.

“We need to be looking at who is in our community because right now we are not. Our council should reflect who is living in our community,” she said.

The Office of Local Government (OLG) has released an updated guide for election candidates, providing potential candidates comprehensive information about running for election and the role and responsibilities of a councillor.

Minister for Local Government Shelley Hancock said council elections have the ability to shape local communities and encouraged people from all walks of life to put their hand up and stand for their local community.

“If you have a strong sense of community and are keen to make a difference in your local neighbourhood, then you should consider being a councillor and nominating. There is nothing more rewarding than serving in the level of government closest to the community,” Ms Hancock said.

Ms Hancock advised voters to familiarise themselves with candidates as they prepare to make the important decision of choosing their local leaders.

“Exercising your democratic right to vote for representation that reflects your local community is an important responsibility,” Ms Hancock said.

“Get to know who your candidates are, what they stand for, and how they intend to shape where you live, work and play,” she said.

The State Government will provide additional funding to the New South Wales Electoral Commission to conduct full attendance voting on September 4 in accordance with COVID-safe measures and expand the eligibility criteria for pre-poll and postal voting.