February 2, 2016
Wattle Camp businesswoman Caroline Haskard has joined the race for Division 1 at the South Burnett Regional Council election.
Ms Haskard is the third candidate so far to step forward for the Division, which is currently held by Cr Barry Green who will be retiring at the March 19 election.
She told southburnett.com.au this was the first time she had stood for a Council election, however local community members had been asking her for years to run, and she felt the time was now right.
Ms Haskard is a natural resource management consultant and operates her own business, Vegetation Matters.
She recently became president of the community ratepayers’ group Nanango & Districts SBRAG but said she was not running as an “SBRAG candidate”.
“I am independent. I speak for myself and the community,” she said.
She was asked by the South Burnett Residents Action Group to act as an independent chairperson at a couple of community forums organised by them: one on the Kingaroy-Kilkivan Rail Trail development (held in Wondai) and one about the Nanango Streetscape (held in Nanango).
She has also been handing out survey forms on various topics at the Nanango Markets to gauge public opinion on a range of South Burnett subjects.
“I support community feedback. I’m about community engagement and consultation so Council can achieve better outcomes,” she said.
“I believe in social capital.”
Ms Haskard said she thought the notification periods set by Council for public feedback on projects were often too short.
“I want to improve communication between Council and the community,” she said.
And she believed that efficiencies within Council could also be improved.
“I believe at times monies have been allocated to certain programs without enough analysis,” she said.
Ms Haskard said a strong Council would provide very clear directions to the Mayor.
“Council is supposed to set the strategic direction for the Mayor and the CEO,” she said.
Other areas of the South Burnett Regional Council she would like to improve are due diligence and corporate governance, to achieve more accountability and responsibility to ratepayers.
“The community is demanding change,” she said. “Collectively the community consensus is that we need new people and new ideas.
“We can’t keep doing business the way we have been because look at where we are at!”
Ms Haskard said she had 16 years representational experience on regional boards and committees, working with State and Federal governments.
“I have helped to bring millions of dollars into the local economy but everything I have always done as a community representative is as a volunteer,” she said.
Ms Haskard said she was born in Beenleigh but came from a farming background and then spent 20 years working in the hospitality industry.
She then co-managed a lucerne and grazing property in the Brisbane Valley before shifting to the South Burnett.
“I think the South Burnett is divine and should be a showcased to the world,” she said.
“We are missing the mark with tourists. Externally, there are opportunities just waiting to be taken up.”
The other candidates so far in Division 1 are Steve Jeffery and Roz Frohloff.
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EDITOR’S NOTE: On Wednesday, southburnett.com.au was contacted by Terry Gordon, secretary of the South Burnett Residents Action Group Inc., who told us Ms Haskard is not connected with his group.
He said Nanango and Districts SBRAG Inc, which was incorporated in January this year, is in no way connected or associated with the South Burnett Residents Action Group Inc. although its office bearers were formerly members of the South Burnett Residents Action Group Inc.
