There are only a few days left to comment on the proposed changes to the city’s divisional boundaries, as recommended by the State Government’s Change Commission.
I encourage you to review the proposal (ecq.qld.gov.au/lgr/ipswich) and familiarise yourself with the potential new structure. You have until Tuesday 30 July to provide your views.
The Change Commission reviewed the internal boundaries (divisions) of the Ipswich local government area and determined Ipswich should be divided into four (4) multi-member divisions, with two (2) councillors representing each division.
While multi-councillor divisions might be unusual to Queensland in recent years, 30 per cent to 60 per cent of councils in New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia and the Northern Territory successfully operate this way.
After reading some of the commentary about the proposed changes, I’d like to point out the legal responsibilities of councillors and raise a few fundamental issues.
While it is true that councillors are elected every four years to a division, their legal obligation is to always act in the best interests of all citizens of Ipswich, not just their division.
This may not have been the case in the past, and it may not reflect some residents’ views on what they would like “their” councillor(s) to do, but it’s the law.
Divisional arrangements are the means of electing councillors; they are not the geography of councillor behaviour and council decision-making for this city.
Those days are over.
Section 12(b) of the Local Government Act states it clearly. Since December 2018, across Queensland all councillors are also obliged to make a formal declaration of office that they will abide by new Code of Conduct that they understand and commit to their obligations under the law, including that they “must serve the overall public interest of the whole local government area”.
The proposed new arrangements create the foundation to elect councillors who will need to understand the communities in which they live, and who will naturally advance to council the interests of these communities.
However, they will be working within a legal framework which requires them to act in the best overall interests of the entire Ipswich local government area at all times.
To be elected as a councillor is an honour. It’s a challenging role that requires councillors to understand the views of the diverse communities within their divisions and the broader city area, and provide high-quality leadership to the local government and the overall community.
Council is working hard to prepare for the city’s return to elected representation in March 2020, ensuring leading local governance practices are in place.
Councillors will be supported by a team of staff within council and will undertake a comprehensive training and induction program.
They’ll also be provided with a governance “toolkit” that highlights their responsibilities, provides issue-specific advice, and spells out what does and does not sit within their role.
If you’re interested in running, please call council on (07) 3810 6666 as I’d be happy to chat with you about this contemporary legal framework for councillors.
