January 22, 2016
Former Nanango Shire Councillor Steve Jeffery is the latest candidate to put up his hand for the March 19 Council elections.
Mr Jeffery, 66, is a semi-retired farmer, businessman and Justice of the Peace and served two terms on Nanango Shire Council between 1994 and 2000.
Since then he has volunteered with the Nanango Show Society, the Nanango Sporting Association, Nanango Tennis Association, Nanango Panthers junior soccer and been involved with various school P&C committees.
He has also been a director of the Queensland Farmers Federation; director, treasurer and vice-president of the Queensland Pork Producers Association; and a Director of the Australasian Pig Institute at the University of Queensland.
Mr Jeffery and his wife Margaret raised their family on their Nanango farm.
She is a local school teacher.
“The kids all received an excellent education locally and went on to gain university qualifications. Now they’re spread all over the state,” Mr Jeffery said.
“And with the scaling down of my farming operations, I now have time to give back to the community that has looked after us so well.”
He said his eight years as a Nanango Shire Councillor had given him an insight into the requirements of the job.
If elected, his main priority would to be responsive to residents of Division 1.
“I know that Council operates a portfolio system, but I think every Councillor’s first obligation is to their Division, then to any portfolios they’re assigned to,” he said.
Issues he would like to tackle range from getting disabled parking bays back into Nanango’s CBD to ensuring that ratepayers get “bang for their buck”.
“I believe we require a leaner council that concentrates on its core business of rates, roads and refuse,” he said.
“I also believe Council should be chasing grants aggressively.”
Mr Jeffery said that during his term on the Nanango Shire Council, he sought out and successfully obtained over $4 million in extra grants for his Division.
He was also interested in working on projects that can help bring more jobs to the area.
More broadly, Mr Jeffery said he was proud of Nanango and believed the town had a bright future.
