Election season gets under way

WITH less than three months until local government elections, some people and groups are making plans to shape the Surf Coast Shire council.

Some change to the existing council is inevitable, as Anglesea Ward councillor Margot Smith has announced she will not be running in the October 24 election.

Cr Smith joined the Surf Coast Shire council in 2012. She is one of six councillors who remain from that election, with Martin Duke, James McIntyre and Tony Revell the more recent appointments.

The Greater Torquay Alliance (GTA) is one of the local groups likely to influence the elections.

GTA is a community collective supported by local groups such as Torquay Residents Association, Surfrider Foundation Surf Coast Branch, and Surf Coast Energy Group.

While the group is not putting forth any of their own candidates, GTA president Andrew Cherubin said they will be looking to empower people to run for council.

“At the moment we’re trying to promote just general community people to get involved and think about running. We’re assisting people, so if people want to run, we’re giving them the how-to, because there’s a number of things they have to do nowadays.

“We’re not really endorsing people, but we’re encouraging people who have values similar to the GTA and we’re assisting them in that regard.”

The GTA has worked with the council at various times, but Mr Cherubin said there are fundamental differences in their principles.

“There’s certainly a lot of issues, particularly around planning that we are on opposite sides of the fence.

“We’re very concerned about their governance and their transparency. We think they’re moving away from good, transparent, open local government, and some of their recent bylaws point to that: the fact that a resident is now not supposed to talk to a councillor without a council officer present when they’re talking about planning issues.

“You have councillors having to go to FOI (freedom of information) to get information that in the end FOI tells them they have to give it across, and the council is told to give the information across to the councillor. I just find it ridiculous council would fight these issues.”

Some people have already announced their candidacy for the elections.

Liz Pattinson has stated she will be running in the Torquay Ward. She is looking to raise funds for her election campaign by holding a mental health first aid session, a method she said was representative of her values as a candidate.

“Campaign fundraising for me is more about raising community skills, confidence and ability far more than it is about raising funds.”

Paul Barker has also announced he will be running as a Liberal Democrats candidate, also in Torquay Ward.

Mr Barker said his policies would include “trying to put a bit of downward pressure on rates; get a limited focus on government onto what’s actually needed, not necessarily what’s particularly wanted; and trying to regain a bit more transparency and accountability, that seems to be lacking a bit.”