Ahead of the 2024 local government elections on 16 Saturday, 16 March, incumbent Councillor Kerry Shine is rallying to the cause of divisions as a way for the area outside of Toowoomba to be better represented in the region.

The proposal would see the creation of geographical divisions for Toowoomba Regional Council – four for Toowoomba and Highfields, and one for the rural parts of the Region, including “(Under the current system), people aren’t sure who to contact.

“They don’t know which portfolio we represent.

“We do our best to travel out to the country as much as possible but this sentiment remains.”

Another proposal suggests a ‘pie solution’ with divisions spreading out from the centre of Toowoomba.

Clifton, Cambooya, Pittsworth, Millmerran, Oakey, Crows Nest and Yarraman.

Each division would elect two councillors.

The proposal doesn’t get down into specifics at this stage, such as where the division boundaries would be set.

At a Council vote conducted last year, eight out of eleven councillors voted in favour of the changes.

Interestingly the three votes against were from councillors who had served on the old Shire Councils: then Mayor Paul Antonio (Millmerran), Carol Taylor (Cambooya) and Bill Cahill (Crows Nest).

Cr Shine says that with council members from the nine original shires gradually being voted out or retiring (including Paul Antonio of Captain’s Mountain, Nancy Sommerfield of Crows Nest and Megan O’Hara Sullivan of Greenmount), it was quite possible that by sheer force of numbers all councillors elected could come from Toowoomba City.

He also noted that five sitting councillors lived in one suburb of Toowoomba City, namely East Toowoomba, and that divisions would ensure equal representation across Toowoomba City as well.

Opposition to the proposal has been led by Cr Bill Cahill who said that in his experience from the Crows Nest Shire Council, divisions could encourage factionalism, which councillors more loyal to their own constituency rather than the entire region.

Cr Shine said examples such as the Ipswich City Council showed that this didn’t necessarily have to be the case.

“I haven’t struck anyone opposed to it in the country towns,” he said.

“Most people lament the days they could run into their councillor on the street.

This article appeared in On Our Selection News, on 29 February 2024.