IN WITH THE NEW

I was getting sick of listening to people saying that the Council's not doing this and not doing that and the whole box and dice so I thought: if you're going to do anything about it you've gotta be on the Council to have a go anyway.
Even if I had lost, I still would have put my hat in the ring. I'm a rate payer just like anyone else aren't I? In all honesty, people have been coming in and saying, "oh good on you, you kicked their arse". But I'm not there to kick their arse. I'm there to see what's going on - to see why the Council's so unpopular and try and change it.
What's the substance of the criticism against the Council. What are they doing wrong?
That's why I want to have a look. I had my first meeting on Tuesday night; and to me the meeting was run very well. I don't know if that was done for me or not - I don't know. It might change as we go along - I don't know.
Like I said I'm not going in there to shit-can anyone, I'm going there to see what's going on. I mean, if it's just a matter of the Council getting out on a Saturday or a Sunday and doing a bit around town to lift their profile - well why not - go and do it.
In all honesty I can't put my finger on what the problem is - but I mean it needs to be changed. It's no good for the town to have a Council which is unpopular.
When I went to Brisbane I had a look at the rates over there, and I was quite surprised, I mean we're expensive - but we're not really that expensive. If you go to Toowoomba rates are about twelve-hundred bucks per year; outer suburbs of Brisbane are about twelve-hundred bucks per year; Townsville's about twelve-hundred bucks just for residential. I admit they get garbage and sewage put in with that and I think they get a water allocation and they get any free planning approval.
Do a lot of people say that the Council is unpopular?
Yeah they do heaps - yeah.
When I was actually handing out 'how-to-vote' cards there were a lot of people who were giving me the feeling that they were giving me a vote, because they were hoping that I would go in there and kick a bit of arse and what ever.
And do what? What is it that needs to be done?
Well I don't know, who knows? You don't know until you get in there, like I said, I've been to one meeting.
If there are a lot of people out there who are unhappy, what are they actually unhappy about? What have they sent you in there to do?
Supposedly to sort the Council out, who knows. Nobody has a specific problem like: oh the Council's not sweeping the streets, or the Council's not picking up the garbage. They are just saying that they just hate the Council - that they're all a bunch of wankers.
I was really disappointed with the knockers, you know I could really name about eight people who really have it in for the Council personally. I didn't see one of them there on the day.
The answer I got was, "Oh we're waiting for the big election".
I'm in for the ideal time - twelve months and if I don't like it I can get out. If you like it you have another go.
I'm a little bit lucky because it's fresh to me. The other Council members in there have been there for three years, some for eight years or seven years - it's like a mundane everyday thing. Whereas to me it's important, it's fresh. Lets see what we can do, you know; lets take all the complaints and stuff to the council and do something about it.
Do you think you're in for the long haul? Do you want to run again?
I'd like to, I'd like to think I was yeah. I appreciate the twelve months because it gives me that time to say yes or no. In twelve months time I'll know if I can do any good, whether I enjoy it. I'll be able to say: yeah I'll stand again or I can say, thank you very much, had enough 12 months is enough for anyone.
There's always been the idea that the Council was factionalised five to two.
Yeah that's right, there was.
And there is only one left.
Yeah that's right.
People are going to wonder if you are going to re-make the other two or if it is now going to be six to one?
Well yeah, I don't know. I don't operate on the basis of, "OK we want it done this way". I'd rather work on the system of, "You guys don't see it my way how about we sit down and change my ideas or change your ideas and try and make a path in the middle, somewhere we can walk down and still achieve the end result".
You've gotta work together no matter what - whether you like the people or hate them.
That's the bottom line. You do it for the town, you don't do it for yourself. I take whatever you want to Council and I will get an answer and give it back to you. If I can't give you the answer positive I'll give it to you negative.
You haven't got a problem with the Town Manager?
No, I've had a few blues with him before I went to Council as a businessman, but that's part of business. I run Dexter Barnes with 13 people all up and only two people in the office -that's the way I operate a business.
Being there for the people of the town I'll be looking to make it as efficient as possible. Of course I might get cut off at the knees and told to shut up and sit in the corner.
If you can put it on paper and come up with the reasons why, or why it looks better, how it works and all the rest of it; if you can show reason and sense and it doesn't go through well - shit, there is something wrong there.
But I don't think the members of the Council are unreasonable people.
"I'm not going in there to
shit-can anyone, I'm going there to see what's going on."