How things work in council will be the focus when Ipswich City Council hosts its second Candidate Information Session on 4 February at North Ipswich Reserve Corporate Centre.
The free information session is open to the community and aimed at those with an interest in standing for council at the March local government elections.
It is an opportunity for candidates (confirmed and potential) and interested residents to learn more about the role of a councillor and council’s operations.
The first Candidate Information Session was held in November last year and proved successful with about 60 people attending.
Topics covered will include the do’s and don’ts, and what skills and knowledge would help in becoming a councillor or mayor for Ipswich.
Interim Administrator Steve Greenwood will open the session with presentations to be made by:
- Ipswich City Council CEO David Farmer
- CEO of Moreton Bay Regional Council Greg Chemello
- Electoral Commission of Queensland
- Department of Local Government, Racing and Multicultural Affairs
A question and answer session will follow the presentations.
The information session is free and open to anyone who would like to attend. No registration is necessary, but potential candidates are encouraged to advise council if they are attending.
USQ Professor Marie Kavanagh, head of the School of Commerce at the Springfield Campus and a member of council’s community reference group Transparent Governance, said the session would be extremely beneficial to prospective candidates.
Prof Kavanagh, who had considered standing for council but delayed any commitment due to a family illness, said “candidates should certainly be going into their campaign with a greater understanding of the expectations of the role and of themselves” after attending the session.
“Prospective councillors need to be mindful of the need for balance, not only in their personal lives but in terms of their obligations to the city as a whole and the constituents of the division they represent.”
As well as the Candidate Information Sessions, the council has previously launched a guide titled Ipswich, It’s Your Council: A Candidate Guide for Ipswich City Council in a bid to help candidates better understand the role and purpose of local government.
For more information about visit itsyourcouncil.com.au
The Candidate Information Session will be at North Ipswich Reserve Corporate Centre, 54 The Terrace, North Ipswich, from 5.45pm to 7pm on 4 February, 2020.
Register your interest via the Facebook event here.
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