Positions Vacant

THE Southern Downs Local Government Area will soon have nine councillors' positions vacant.

Written Job Applications should identify each candidate's past successful management of a $60-$80 million budget for the daily operation of an area of 7120 square km serving a population of about 36,000 Australians.

Successful candidates must have, or the intellectual capacity to quickly acquire, the ability to analyse complex documents, identifying all false justifications and all proposals that will negatively affect local residents.

Evidence should be presented of past activities or employment which substantiates this ability.

Candidates must commit to the immediate:

• return of councillors' own personal divisional responsibility for all local government matters;

• rewriting of councillors' responsibilities to precisely identify their legal accountability;

• cessation of the private use of council vehicles and property for personal benefit;

• assessing and planning, in an open and transparent manner, the future safe, timely and effective development of our area;

• listing all current and future adverse impacts of Agenda 21 upon property owners and farmers;

• elimination of bureaucratic restrictions upon residents, small business and primary producers; and,

• declaration of any conflict of political, social or pecuniary interest in any council deliberations.

Candidates must sign a declaration to resign if any deficiency of theirs in the above is identified and proven - eg, private use of council items or failure to represent the community.

Successful candidates must have, or the intellectual capacity to quickly acquire, the ability to quickly assess and make timely decisions upon matters including:

• reduction of council debt and property owners' rates;

• prioritisation of new works construction and equipment acquisitions; and,

• timings for maintenance of 3071 km of sealed gravel and dirt roads including maintenance of 52 bridges and many major culverts.

Candidates must have the proven motivation and ability to make community based decisions on the safe, effective operation of public libraries, parks, swimming pools, aerodromes, cemeteries, sale-yards, feral pest management, healthy water supply, sewage and both domestic and industrial waste disposal.

The identification and prompt correction of any waste and unethical activity is also required, including funding elitist groups of very dubious intellectual, aesthetic or spiritual benefit to most rate-payers.

Until elections, we should pray for wisdom for all voters and for those in authority, so that we may lead quiet and peaceable lives.

- Geoff Pickering,

Rosenthal Heights