QPRC election 2017: Three months out from the local government election

The election on Saturday, September 9 comes more than a year after the two councils were merged. 

Since the amalgamation, the council has been under the control of an administrator, a position held by former mayor Tim Overall.

When the merger was announced in May 2016, both councils were dissolved and councillors were effectively sacked. 

A local representative committee was formed with eight of the 19 former councillors, chaired by former Palerang mayor Pete Harrison. The representatives have no official decision making capacities, but hold an advisory role.

The last local government elections for Queanbeyan and Palerang councils, then separate entities, were held in 2012.

This election will be different in that in the proclamation of the new larger council, it was declared that voters would be nominating 11 councillors.

Another change for Queanbeyan voters is they will not be voting for a mayor. 

The mayor will be chosen by the elected councillors, which could take weeks after successful candidates are chosen. 

The mayor will be elected by councillors for a maximum two-year period, down from the four years previously. 

Following the two-year period, councillors will conduct another election.

A spokesman for Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council said in previous elections, Queanbeyan City Council had a popularly-elected mayor, which was voted on by the community.

At the 2012 election Tim Overall had a landslide victory in his run for mayor with over 54 per cent of first preference votes.

The council will be holding information sessions for prospective candidates in early July, prior to nominations opening on July 31.

“These sessions will focus on the role of a councillor in a broader sense,” the spokesman said.

“Following the closure of nominations, and before the election, council will hold further briefing sessions to introduce candidates to matters closer to Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council.”

The spokesman said when dates were set down the sessions would be advertised widely.

QPRC administrator and former mayor Mr Overall has not yet decided on whether he will run in the upcoming election. If he does, and is elected as mayor, it would be his third term in office.

While he remains on the fence as to whether to run for a seat on the new council, Mr Overall has ruled out running on a party ticket.

“I remain philosophically opposed to party politics in local government as local government should be solely about working for the community,” he said.

Greens candidates Peter Marshall and Katrina Willis have announced they will run.