April 2, 2022
Nanango real estate agent Jane Erkens has announced she will stand as a candidate for Division 1 in the South Burnett Regional Council’s upcoming by-election.
The election was called following the resignation of former incumbent Roz Frohloff, who stepped down on March 23 after serving six years in the role.
The poll is scheduled to be held on April 30, and nominations close at noon on April 11.
Mrs Erkens announced her candidacy on her Facebook page on Friday night (April 1) and is the first person to put up their hands for the position.
(A Facebook post from CROW-FM announcer Matt Collins stating that he was going to run was later revealed to be an April Fools Day joke).
Mrs Erkens told southburnett.com.au she was standing “to ensure Nanango retained a strong voice in community affairs”.
Her principal motivation was that she was not happy with some of the decisions made by the current Council.
And if elected, she intended to speak out strongly and vote for what she felt was best for the community, both in Nanango and the region as a whole.
Mrs Erkens has been a high-profile businesswoman in Nanango for many years.
She was formerly president of the now-defunct Nanango Chamber Of Commerce, and until recently served as secretary of its successor, the Nanango Tourism and Development Association.
Late last year she led a protest against a Council decision to increase standpipe water charges from $4.10 to $10 per kilolitre (the price increase was reduced to $6/kl after her protest).
Mrs Erkens established The Shed in Little Drayton Street as a venue for local and visiting performing artists, and created the town’s annual Halloween Night, which celebrated its seventh outing last October.
She also initiated a year-long community fundraising drive that converted Nanango’s Butter Factory Park into the region’s first all-abilities playground, and is currently part of a committee planning the town’s 175th anniversary celebrations.
Mrs Erkens said if she was elected, she would turn over the day-to-day running of her Nanango Real Estate business to a family member.
This would allow her to concentrate on the job of representing the Division full time.
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Good luck Jane
Best of luck Jane – I feel confident that you are up to the challenge of all that will be involved with the position of Division 1 councillor should you win. You have my full support, so if I can help in any way prior to by-election day, please call on me.