Proserpine voter receives blank ballot paper from ECQ

A completely blank ballot paper has one local resident concerned just how many more bungled papers have been delivered into letter boxes this week.

Proserpine resident Graham Wilson opened the envelope from the Electoral Commission Queensland (ECQ) yesterday afternoon to find his Division 3 paper completely blank.

“The mayoral paper is okay, but there is absolutely nothing on the second piece, it’s like it’s the end of the printing role or something,” Mr Wilson said.

Far from a conspiracy theorist, Mr Wilson said he understood it could well have been an accident but worried how many more were out there like his.

“A lot of people wouldn’t give a stuff and probably wouldn’t bother to vote after receiving something like this.”  

 “And also … how many people would leave it to the last minute to fill it out only to realise there’s nothing to fill out!”

Mr Wilson will be either calling the electoral commission or visiting the returning officer in Cannonvale, which is precisely what mayor Mike Brunker suggested yesterday.

“Get hold of the electoral commission and get it sorted. He probably doesn’t want to be trundling off down to Cannonvale - and nor should he have to - so yes everyone check their papers and if there are any problems call the electoral commission right away,” Mr Brunker said.

A spokesperson from the ECQ said initial investigations revealed the blank paper was a human error.

“Ballot papers are printed out of books of 50, and what normally happens is the backing paper is torn off before the books are put into the printer, but this hasn’t happened and it appears Mr Wilson has received a backing paper,” the spokesperson said, believing the error was a one off.

Anyone with questions about their ballot papers are encouraged to call the ECQ voting hotline on 1300 881 665.

Candidates refuse to fill out survey

A growing number of candidates are refusing to fill out a questionnaire from the Electoral Advisory Committee (EAC) on the basis that they do not want or need endorsement from the specifically formed group.

The Whitsunday Coast Guardian last week featured an article expressing the concerns of the EAC and how they believed somebody was "muddying the waters" and interfering in what they say is quite clearly a straight-forward questionnaire aimed at getting information to the voters in the upcoming council election.

While chairman of the EAC Andrew Marshall confirms some 10 questionnaires have been returned filled out, a growing number of candidates namely in Division 3 (Proserpine) say they will not be working with the WRA.

John "Sarge" Collins has been around town for 44 years.

"What right have they got to question me? I am running and financing myself in this Division as an independent. I am not aligned to any political party of groups.

"The WRA is there for a reason. They as well as the majority of ratepayers are unhappy with the way things are going. However I personally will not be responding to their correspondence.

"I can’t see how a group of five or so people can read a list of answers and turn around and tell the people of the Whitsundays how to vote. What happens next? If elected are they going to be expecting the candidate to bow to their every wish and demand?" Sarge said.

The five or so people, is the line that perplexes the EAC chairman.

"It’s not just five people of the EAC, but the entire membership of the WRA. We have 700 people, so times that by two because of partners, add their families and friends, and you have 25 per cent of the voting population. So perhaps the candidates have misread or misunderstood the information that has been previously circulated," said Mr Marshall.

Mr Marshall says there is a possibility that in a division where three candidates are running, and only one fills out the questionnaire, that a golden opportunity will be thrown away.

Division 3 candidate Kerry Roulston also announces that she will not be seeking or accepting the endorsement of the Whitsunday Ratepayers Association prior to the upcoming local government election.

"Like all community groups, the WRA serves a very valid purpose", Ms Roulston said. "But it would be irresponsible of any candidate to offer any promises or pledges to any community group prior to election."

"People are sick of the politics which seems to have engulfed local government – They don’t want cliques, they don’t want factions, and they don’t want certain groups to be funding certain candidates – they want policy and vision", Ms Roulston said.

"The WRA has attempted to label any candidate who opts not to seek their endorsement as dishonest and fearing transparency. This is simply untrue", Ms Roulston said.

"It is not the job of the WRA to determine which candidates are honest, effective, experienced and fit for holding elected office – that is a role reserved solely for the voters come election time".

Mr Marshall says he cannot understand why anyone would see the WRA as leaning one way or another politically.

"How on earth can we be a politically biased organisation when we have so many people from all different walks of life."

A third candidate for the same division Alan Pershouse also says he won’t be filling it out.

"I really can’t see why they should stand judge and jury on a written survey when they don’t know what we have done," he said.

Two division 2 candidates are also refusing to take part.

Carol Van der Gaag says she objects to the almost intimidatory threat.

"My life is an open book. Anyone can ask anything and look anywhere but I almost feel intimated," said the lady who admitted she hadn’t actually opened the email containing the questionnaire because of the "negative, vindictive nature that surrounded the WRA".

Louise Mahony is in the same boat.

"I will not be answerable to any group. I will not reply to WRA’s survey. I will not be part of any team. I will not be dictated to by any interest group. I will not be an endorsed candidate. I will not be intimidated. My job as a councillor is to represent all of my voters equally. Just because one group shouts loudly will not give it precedence over addressing the pressing long term economic challenges this region is facing," said the Division 1 candidate.

And finally Rogin Taylor.

"My campaign is totally self-funded, I am not part of any group, organisation or association and do not owe anyone any favors. That will allow me, if elected, to be totally independent without any pressure from any group.

"I thought the WRA was interested in rates, insurance etc. It seems that lately they have, if you read their e-mails, been more concerned with character assassination, vindictive and spiteful e-mails and spreading rumors that are blatantly not true about many candidates.

I will not be replying to the ratepayers association as I do not think being on their list of preferred candidates will be an advantage as many voters in the community see the Ratepayers Association’s, Election Advisory Committee as being very arrogant trying to dictate to the voters who they should or should not vote for, when voters should be able to make up their own minds who they want to represent them for the next four years in council."

Challengers to take on Mayor Mike Brunker

The man who is tipped to be the next most likely contender to run for mayor says rumours he will ask Councillor Jennifer Whitney to stand down from her campaign are simply not true.

Anthony Maine whose background is in corporate marketing, moved from Sydney to the Whitsundays almost two years ago after selling his successful IT company to a major telco.

“Some people may be saying it out of vicious intent … others just get excited and run away with the story, but I haven’t even met Councillor Whitney yet and i honestly, have not yet even made up my mind whether or not I will run,” Mr Maine said.

Mr Maine’s story begins earlier this year after a series of discussions and meetings with Mike Brunker.

“I was seeing more and more that the Whitsunday region was sick, really sick. So I thought with my 35 years of experience in the world of corporate marketing, I would phone the mayor and go and see him, help him develop a plan because as far as I could see, nothing was fitting in,” he said.

“But they were just humouring me.”

Over the next few months, Mr Maine says the conversations around dinner tables at countless functions were constantly drifting towards concern with the current council.

“I knew they were looking for someone to stand … there were several meetings and names were thrown around but because of business responsibilities or the like, many felt they wouldn’t do it justice. Then there was another meeting and they came back to me and said they would like me to consider running for mayor.

“I didn’t put my hand up for the job. This is something I could never orchestrate myself. The community itself really needs a pat on the back for moving forward with a story and a redirection for the whole region,” said.

On the momentum of the story for the whole region, Mr Maine and his entourage held meetings in Bowen, Dingo Beach, Hydeaway Bay and Proserpine with Collinsville in their sights before Christmas.

“Now we met with a very wide field of key people and I am not going to say that they were marching as one against council wanting to pull the walls down, but there is a definite feel that they are not happy,” he said.

“The Whitsundays is not a homogenous unit. It is not just one thing … apart from the name. The social structure of Airlie Beach is completely different to that of Bowen so if we are going to put up a challenge for the mayoral position we have to be mindful of what the community wants and we are doing that by talking to people everywhere,” he said.

Mr Maine says after Christmas he would be announcing his decision.

“Do we really want this challenge and how are we going to pay for it? They are the fundamentals of it.

“I understand it would be a cheeky, gutsy move to spend 20 months in a place, get a feeling for it and think I might stand for mayor.

“But I am not that barefaced and it is the community who deserves the pat on the back for calling for this challenge.”

***

After hearing rumours of a possible candidate asking her to stand down, Councillor Jennifer Whitney reaffirmed her commitment to the community.

“I always knew it wasn’t going to be a one horse race. I had heard that someone might ask me to stand down but my clear intention is that I will not. I have the skills and knowledge to undertake this role. I have been working within the realms of local government since the early 1980s, and I know that I can hit the deck running,” Cr Whitney said.

Moving to the region from Mackay with her husband Shane in 1983, Ms Whitney said her long term history within local community groups had established mutual trust.

“I have been involved with this council since I moved here. I was secretary to the CEO and the Mayor from 1984 for 13 years until I decided to run for council and was successful in 1997.

“I ran for mayor in 2000 but I was unsuccessful, and in 2012 I am hoping the community will see what is in front of them and know that I will do my very best to put the community’s interests first. At the end of the day I am hoping people will see how dysfunctional we have been since amalgamation,” she said.

The woman who prides herself on honesty and integrity said she didn’t believe there were splinter groups within the community – just people who wanted to be able to trust their local council.

“These groups form because people feel they have been let down. They feel council is not listening,” she told the Guardian, adding she would welcome the opportunity to meet with Anthony Maine.

“If the community can’t see the offer in front of them then there is nothing I can do.

“Everyone who knows me realises my passion is for
the whole region and over the next few months I will be meeting with as many people as I can,” she
said.