Councillors reject rises in their pay
THE Hinchinbrook Shire Council has voted unanimously to decline pay increases recommended by the Local Government Remuneration Commission.
Mayor Ramon Jayo said the shire’s five councillors and deputy mayor Andrew Cripps had joined him in rejecting the 2 per cent increases.
The proposed increases for Category 1 councils such as Hinchinbrook would take mayors’ remuneration to $108,222, deputy mayors to $62,435 and councillors’ to $54,110. The salaries do not included expenses.
The mayor of Townsville, a Category 6 council, would earn $208,117, while the only Category 8 mayor, on the Gold Coast, could earn $258,066 if the increases are adopted.
Mr Jayo said that with the impact of COVID-19 and the economic downturn, it was only natural Hinchinbrook councillors would reject pay rises. The council voted on Monday not to increase rates, the second successive year in which there have not been property price hikes.
A CREATIVE police officer has come up with a very Hinchinbrook campaign – rewarding motorists who secure their potentially dangerous trailer loads – ahead of an impending traffic blitz during the school holidays.
Halifax Police Senior Sergeant Gio Tantalo said increasing numbers of trailers and boats were losing items from their loads in the Lower Herbert River district stretching from Lucinda to the Bruce Highway.
He said the items, which have included Eskies,
Eskie lids, fishing rods, buckets, seats, knives and even a spare wheel “pose extreme danger to other road users when they fly out of boats and utilities driving along our roads”.
Snr-sgt Tantalo said the uniquely Hinchinbrook police operation, code-named Lure 4 Road Safety, would tie-in with a statewide traffic blitz targeting the Fatal 5 during the weekend and reward positive driving behaviours.
He said compliant motorists would be rewarded with one of 300 specially made fishing lures.
“We aim to achieve zero road trauma incidents for the holiday period,” he said.
“Should motorists receive a 100 per cent five-star result for compliance with the Fatal 5, and are also towing a trailer, boat or carrying a load that is securely covered and contents securely restrained … they may be eligible to receive a reward for adhering to our road safety rules.”
The station has a history of creative safety campaigns, picking up a State Government Road Safety Award in 2017.