Barnaby Joyce TRC divisions

I CANNOT believe that Barnaby Joyce had the thick-hided gall to nominate for the leadership of the National Party.

The measure of a person’s worth is the way they behave when they think no one is watching.

Has Mr Joyce proved he is capable of commitment, loyalty, integrity, reliability, responsibility, credibility and trustworthiness?

In this world gone mad, decently, honesty and loyalty are qualities most ordinary people look for, still, both in themselves and others and particularly in our leaders and our elected representatives in the three levels of government. DEL KRAUTZ, Toowoomba WHY doesn’t Toowoomba Regional Council have divisions?

Councils that have divisions seem to either have a large population or a large area. Toowoomba region has both.

There could be five country-based divisions and five city-based divisions, with one councillor for each.

For the divisions to have a similar number of voters, the outer suburbs of Toowoomba would be included in the country divisions.

As it is now, all 10 councillors could come from the one part of the region, with each having the massive job of understanding the concerns of individual people who are hundreds of kilometres in different directions.

With divisions, councillors would still have portfolios and represent the whole Toowoomba region, but they would also be the voice in council for the benefit of people in their divisions.

As a result, you would get much more liveable and satisfied communities with the belief that voters have a representative who knows the needs of their area.

At the moment, the media only talks to the overworked mayor. If we had divisions, councillors would be more visible and bring local problems or achievements to the attention of the whole population.

The only reason, I can see, that would stop a sitting council from having divisions, is they know name recognition is the main reason people will vote for them.

The majority of people have little time to study the many candidates’ credentials and will vote for names they briefly recognise.

This makes it just about impossible for new councillors to be elected, as to get their names known, they have to spend hundreds of hours and 10s of thousands of dollars campaigning in the whole region.

With divisions, candidates would only have to campaign in the division they are running for.

As all candidates campaigns would cost less, they would need fewer donations, which should lead to less cronyism in council and fewer campaign signs.

Queensland councils with divisions include Cairns, Townsville, the Sunshine Coast, Brisbane City, Logan City, Bundaberg Region and many others.

The election for mayor is a similar situation.

Because the mayor’s name has been widespread for years, name recognition will see him mayor for however long he wants. It would seem a better idea if councillors had a secret ballot for mayor and the runner up in the mayor’s division could become the councillor for that division. JEFF DAVIDSON, Toowoomba