January 24, 2024
Goodger resident Seth Schuback is the youngest South Burnett candidate so far to nominate for election at the March 16 council poll.
Seth, 21, plans to run for Division 4 which covers the northern half of Kingaroy and stretches eastwards to include Booie.
So far he is the only candidate to put their hand up for Division 4, currently held by Cr Kirstie Schumacher.
Cr Schumacher is one of the four candidates who will be contesting the mayoral role, meaning she cannot restand for her old division.
Seth said he came from politically active family, as his father had run – unsuccessfully – for office.
“I’ve always had a bit of a political ambition, it’s always been put into me at a young age,” he said.
“I’ve always wanted to give it a shot. There’s that itch at the back of the mind.
“I’d like to see if there are any ways that things can be improved. A fresh set of eyes.”
The former Kingaroy State High School student currently works as a receptionist / clerk at South Burnett Radiology but also has an interest in developing board games which have been sold in local stores and online.
“I love designing games but I’m not the best marketer of them,” he said.
Seth also worked for almost a year with the Queensland Police Service as a Protective Service Officer at Brisbane Airport and in Toowoomba.
He said his main focus if elected to Council, would be on water quality issues, including the impact of flying foxes in Blackbutt.
Seth said he wanted to investigate possible State Government funding to allow Blackbutt residents to install filters on their water tanks.
He would also like to encourage more private investment in the South Burnett as well as focussing on issues such as housing, zoning and Council management.
He had spoken to Cr Schumacher who had suggested footpaths and parks were also two important issues in Division 4.
Seth admitted he was a “bit inexperienced” about Council but said he had been watching the live streams of meetings and reading the minutes.
However, he has had political ambitions since he was at school.
“I definitely always had political ambitions but probably not for a career (in politics),” he said.
“I don’t think I want to sit in Council for 20, 30 or 40 years. I’d just like to be in there for a term or two to see if my ideas have any traction in the community, and then give someone else the chance to have some impact.”
And he realised it would not be an easy job.
“You don’t get ‘off’ hours as a councillor,” Seth said.
“You’re going to be confronted, probably get insulted but at the same time, people are going to thank you and people are going to appreciate you.
“The job obviously has extremes on both ends.”
Seth said he did not believe it would be very democratic if no one else stood for Division 4 and he “just got in”.
“It would also feel like a bit of ‘imposter syndrome’,” he said.
“I want to get in by the merit of my ideas and my campaigning.”
Hi Seth. Would you be able to put forward some more information about what you’ll aim to achieve for the Division 4 electorate?
I appreciate you have concerns for Blackbutt’s water quality and other general council matters (private investment, housing, zoning and council management) but what will you aim to achieve for Division 4? What do you stand for? The only thing I could see mentioned specific to Division 4 was about footpaths and parks which Cr Schumacher had spoken to you about.
The news article also states that you are a resident of Goodger. Goodger is in the Division 3 area. Is there a reason you have stood for Division 4 instead of Division 3? What interest do you have in Division 4? Are you involved with our local community already? Or were you not wanting to run against Cr Potter (who hasn’t yet expressed her intent to stand again in 2024).
If memory serves me correctly, only people living in Division 4 will be voting for you (assuming other people nominate for the position). Why should people living in Division 4 vote for you?
I don’t want to sound close-minded as all of South Burnett matters, but Blackbutt’s water quality doesn’t affect Division 4. Should you be standing for Division 2 instead if Blackbutt is your passion?