{"id":140474,"date":"2016-03-31T21:48:09","date_gmt":"2016-03-31T11:48:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=140474"},"modified":"2020-06-30T09:39:25","modified_gmt":"2020-06-29T23:39:25","slug":"mayor-calls-for-commissioners-sacking","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2016\/03\/31\/mayor-calls-for-commissioners-sacking\/","title":{"rendered":"Mayor Calls For
Commissioner’s Sacking"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"SBRC<\/a>
South Burnett Mayor Wayne Kratzmann (Photo: SBRC)<\/figcaption><\/figure>March 31, 2016<\/strong><\/p>\n

South Burnett Mayor Wayne Kratzmann has called for Queensland’s Electoral Commissioner to be sacked.<\/p>\n

The Mayor said the conduct of the March 19 local government elections was disgraceful.<\/p>\n

“There are 18,800 votes to be counted in the South Burnett,” the Mayor said. <\/p>\n

“But right now, almost two weeks after the election, we are still waiting for a result.<\/p>\n

“This is a bureaucratic nightmare and a complete disgrace.”<\/p>\n

Mayor Kratzmann said he had personally conducted eight Council elections when he was Deputy CEO of the former Wondai Shire Council.<\/strong><\/p>\n

On those occasions, election results were always declared on election night or early the next day.<\/p>\n

“We knew how important election results were and if we didn’t have the job done by 9:00pm on Saturday night we’d just keep on working until it was done.<\/p>\n

“I know the numbers are bigger for the South Burnett region, but I’m certain I could sit down with Taabinga State School’s Year 6 students and count 18,800 votes in less than 24 hours, including preferences.”<\/p>\n

The Mayor said he could see no good reason for the delays in vote counting, given that a very large number of pre-poll votes were cast in the week leading up to the election.<\/p>\n

“Counting on those should have begun immediately the polls closed,” the Mayor said.<\/p>\n

“And since it was obvious on election night some Divisions and the Mayor’s job were going to be decided on preferences, I can’t see any reason why preference counting wasn’t begun very early on too.”<\/p>\n

The Mayor said the delay in announcing the South Burnett’s election results had already led to the postponement of a training day for new Councillors that had been scheduled to be held on Friday, April 1.<\/strong><\/p>\n

He was now concerned any further delays might also lead to the postponement of the new Council’s first meeting, which is scheduled for Thursday, April 7.<\/p>\n

“There are a lot of things happening across our region which need the attention of the Mayor and Councillors right now,” he said.<\/p>\n

“Residents should not be expected to tolerate our region being effectively shut down for two weeks because the Electoral Commission can’t tally up 19,000 votes.”<\/p>\n

The Mayor said the counting delay had also had effects on his own personal life.<\/strong><\/p>\n

“I left my office on Tuesday and said goodbye to all the staff because I was told the results had to be announced on Wednesday. <\/p>\n

“And as soon as I got home I gathered up all of my 89 ties and threw them in the bin.<\/p>\n

“But I’m still Mayor until a new Mayor has been declared. <\/p>\n

“So now it looks like I’ll need to go to Coppards to buy a new tie for my handover meeting with the next Mayor, whoever that turns out to be and whenever that meeting occurs. <\/p>\n

“This situation is a joke.” <\/p>\n