I want to thank all the voters and especially those who helped me and supported my campaign.
I’ve enjoyed my time in Council, made heaps of new friends across the region, learnt a lot about myself, worked as hard and as smart as I could and believe I’ve started the change process.
I would not have done things any differently. Now it’s time to start a new venture.
We have a great region and I wish the new Council well in its next 4 years.
I want to particularly thank the voters of the mountain and my own Division 1, who, with a 70% primary vote, overwhelmingly endorsed my performance and hard work. It was a privilege and honour to work for you.
My firm view is that, if you are critical, outspoken and think you can do better as I have been, you should be prepared to put up or shut up.
I gave up my safe division one Council spot because of my convictions and desire to get a better deal for all ratepayers.
There was so much to do, and I was prepared to by mayor simply because I didn’t think any other mayoral candidates would have had the skills and experience to take on the bureaucracy and do what was necessary. In four years, I would have implemented transformational change and led a new Council with lower rates, a smaller bureaucracy and better services.
Interestingly by the primary vote, 48% of voters wanted change, 41% wanted more of the same and 11% voted for Joy!
In the final analysis after preferences were distributed I lost by just 1,465 votes.
It is extraordinary that approximately 20% of voters on the electoral roll just failed to vote. Maybe it was the appalling weather on polling day.
People are asking me about the result. I’m comfortable with the outcome. That’s democracy.
I worked as hard as I could and feel like I did everything possible to do justice for those who believed I would be a good mayor.
The final result didn’t include success for me, however I believe the campaign assisted a new group of candidates to get in who are ready to continue to work for the same things I’ve been fighting for 4 years as a lone voice.
You are unlikely to see another situation where one councillor can be bullied and harassed like in the last 4 years, for giving the people a real voice in a Council were ratepayers were unreasonably slugged and services and standards fell.
My firm view is that, if you are critical, outspoken and think you can do better as I have been, you should be prepared to put up or shut up.
The campaign venom was a surprise to me but not unpredicted. Well, let me say all the anonymous letters and accusation were fanciful and sheer desperation in my view, and said more about the writers then me, none were true and I wasn’t going to be distracted refuting such nonsense.
For example, one started close to home was that I regularly seek out and kick the neighbour’s dog or jump out in front of cars at Tamborine and there were a lot worse I can assure you that were personally attacking our family.
Some people even believed these lies and there were scores we heard, but they were being generated by a minority of opposition supporters.
I always knew it would be a close race.
We made a conscious decision to run a clean mayoral campaign based on full disclosure, lots of information to focus on issues and not personalities and to provide a blueprint for change the next 4 years .
We never commented on our opposition at all or the sad rumour, and no wonder some wanted to be anonymous.
Across the whole shire we copped a lot of whispering, smear and innuendo, it was literally everywhere, and even my older brother copped a mega dose at Roadvale polling booth from the Mayor himself, who didn’t know who he was.
We chose to keep to our campaign one of honesty and integrity. We didn’t try to be victims, even though over 100 of our signs were stolen.
I was not prepared to lower my standards to win, and wouldn’t have wanted the job if that was what it took. Because I was a lone dissenting voice in the last Council I have been asked if I am concerned about the future of the council without me in it.
My answer is yes and no. My first 100 days in office blueprint and long term policies to cut costs, return democracy, reduce rates and shake up the administration is going to be a tough ask if not driven by a Mayor.
No because I’m encouraged by the calibre of some of the new councillors. If my summation of the likely council voting blocs is correct there could be a 4/3 split in ideology going forward, then change is almost certain in my view. I will be watching things closely.
To be perfectly honest, I think that being Mayor is one of the more difficult jobs around and the next four years will be more difficult than the last term, with a clear majority of ratepayers now expecting their Council, Mayor and bureaucracy to perform better.
With inflation falling and council labour costs soon to rise by more than double or triple projected CPI, rates will go up unless there is drastic reforms.
Don’t cop the predicted excuse that rises are because of the carbon tax, you should be aware of the real reasons.
Once again thank you to all the mountain, I look forward to allowing Nigel and Nadia, two very hard working good and capable candidates to represent us now and I will always be available for advice should they ask for it.