January 16, 2024
A fourth candidate has put up their hand to run for the role of South Burnett Mayor at the March council elections.
Fifth-generation Kingaroy farmer – and former president of the Kingaroy Cricket and Sports Club – Tom Wilson, 31, is the grandson of the late Graham Wilson, from ‘Minmore’, who died on November 30.
Tom made up his mind to run for Mayor in about May last year.
“I felt it was a good time. I had heard that things might be changing within the Council, and an election was coming up,” he said.
He emphasised the fact that he was a fresh face who had “no baggage” with Council.
“People know me. People know what I want to do, what I intend to do,” he said.
He admitted he had been urged to drop out by at least one of the other mayoral candidates in case he “split the vote”.
“So (I said) you’d better drop out then!”
Tom said the Mayoralty was a big job and should not be seen as an “entitlement”.
“If I thought it was going to be easy, I wouldn’t have put my hand up,” he said.
Tom said he may have no direct Council experience – apart from watching meetings – but for the past six or so years he had been part of the LNP’s Primary Industry Policy Committee, dealing with both Federal and State governments in an advisory role and working with the local community.
“You get to understand where Local Government fits between State and Federal governments,” he said.
His membership of the LNP has nothing to do with his decision to run for Council but it meant he was comfortable lobbying to get better outcomes.
“One of the sole jobs as Mayor is to get out there and lobby to the Federal and State governments,” he said.
“You can’t just go in there and bang your hands on the desk and say ‘Minister I want this amount of money’. No, it’s consultation. It takes process. It’s creating a working environment between Federal and State.”
He’s wary about making promises because “red tape” often gets in the way of change and governments always take on the “flavour of the day” which can hinder the agricultural sector.
There was also a problem with banks refusing to lend for developments in regional areas, which should be a target for more lobbying by local governments.
However, he has great hopes for the South Burnett, despite the major issues of water and water quality, roadworks, housing and jobs.
He aims to “under promise and over deliver”. Criticism was part of the job but he believed the Mayor had to front up to the people.
“You might not always have the answer and nothing will be perfect. What’s that saying? ‘Perfect is always the enemy of the good’.
“You have to get things as close to perfect as you think you can, but you just have to be honest and transparent with the people about where you’re at … and keep them informed.”
Tom believes all three people running for Mayor are “good people, good councillors”.
“We are lucky in having good people putting their hands up to run. But, as I said, I have got no baggage with those previous Councils,” he said.
“A fresh start would be good.”
If he does get elected, the new Mayor will have a busy few months ahead of him.
Tom is in the process of moving into ‘Minmore’, a 15,000 acre cattle property just outside Kingaroy. He also looks after a 2500 acre property at Durong.
“In a good season, we can turn off about 1000 weaners,” he said.
To top it off, his partner Claudia – who works as a teacher – is expecting the couple’s first baby in June.
“Malcolm Fraser said ‘life wasn’t meant to be easy’ and I always take that approach,” he said.
Related articles:
There should be a course that candidates undertake so they have some understanding of the way local government works. Fresh people come in with all the bright ideas to get elected, then are quickly proven that nothing they promised is even possible.
There actually is some mandatory training:
https://www.statedevelopment.qld.gov.au/local-government/for-councillors/training
How can I get in touch to give him help and support?