By Alan Lander
On March 28, 2020, local government elections were held across the state, and a new Noosa Council ultimately sworn in.
With many new faces, and the immediate impact of Covid-19, it has been a baptism of fire for both ‘new’ and re-elected councillors.
Noosa Today asked for their views on a range of issues, after one year on the job.
This week: Mayor Clare Stewart; Crs Joe Jurisevic and Amelia Lorentson.
Q: What have you found to be the most challenging aspects of handling Covid’s effects?
Cr Stewart: “For me, challenges included not being able to get ‘out and about’ and interact with the community, and at a very grass roots level, with our staff.
“We came into an empty building with the staff not knowing us and us not knowing them, or the internal workings of council.
“I think all senior staff, especially our CEO, were incredibly helpful and supportive during our first few months which made the transition as smooth as possible.”
Cr Jurisevic: “The impact was initially difficult to fathom. [We had] no idea of the length of shutdowns, border closures, no overseas tourists,” he said.
“The challenge was always to try to get a handle on the potential impact and the kind of measures that would be needed from council to support the community through the unknown ahead.”
Cr Lorentson: “The most challenging aspects of handling Covid’s effects included: making decisions based on fact, not fear; balancing whether short term benefits outweigh potential health and long-term consequences of allowing events; and understanding or accepting the role of the state and Qld Health as the experts in pandemic management.”
Q: How do you see the next 12 months in terms of Covid recovery?
Cr Stewart: “I think we have to be careful to say ‘Covid? What covid?’ [and remain aware] of social distancing and of practicing good hygiene.
“We need to continue to support local businesses. Our tourism sector had a bumper Christmas season and full weekends but we need to appreciate that many are still doing it tough, especially during weeknights.
“Many businesses are citing difficulty getting staff because they simply can’t afford to live here, and so many of our community, especially our most vulnerable, are finding it increasingly hard to find accommodation due to skyrocketing rental costs and property prices.
“Affordable housing is a state issue [but] we need to do all that we can to assist in the process.”
Cr Jurisevic: “I’m hopeful the lessons learnt will lead to greater understanding of community transmission, and the vaccine rollout may see us return to [pre-covid] sooner.
“Council facilities and operations are returning to something approaching pre-covid function levels, but many changes will remain to the way that we operate for the foreseeable future.”
Cr Lorentson: We have the State Government [with] a track record of acting from ‘overabundance of caution’ so we have reason to be confident, but we cannot become complacent.
“The reality is further outbreaks will occur in Australia. We have a vulnerable demographic and it is important that we keep observing the simple safety messages around personal hygiene and physical distancing.”
(For new mayor and councillors) Q: How different, if at all, did you find actually working in council to what you perceived prior to being elected? What issues have you found to be a bigger challenge than you initially thought?
Cr Stewart: “For me, the hardest part of my job is meeting community expectations quickly.
“I had a platform for change and am determined to meet it – and while some initiatives are achieved, there are still unresolved commitments on which I am working.
“I really wasn’t sure what to expect so didn’t focus too much on what the job would be like in detail. “Yes, I had experience as a lawyer, governance responsibilities with a national charity and small business. However, if really pushed, I would say that the job is far more diverse than I expected, and at the same time more supported than I would have ever imagined.
“I would also like to add that as a group of councillors we work well together. I think there was concern coming in that there were ‘two camps’ – yet the seven of us really do, I believe, represent every perspective and person in this community.
“Our council is a great example of democracy at work and although we don’t always agree with each other, at the end of the day, we can shake off any difference of view, have a laugh and move forward.”
Cr Lorentson: “I knew this was a full-time job – and I was ready for it.“I have strong work ethics and so working, especially in a job I love, is easy. Balancing ‘me’ time and family time, however, is a work in progress.
“The biggest challenge was understanding the strategic nature of my role as councillor. No-one clearly spelled out the separation between the operational activities of staff and the strategic requirements of councillors.
“It confused me that we were asked to make informed decisions in one breath, and in another, we were told that we couldn’t investigate or get involved with particular issues or projects.“
(For re-elected councillors) Q: The last election saw a substantial number of new councillors as well as a new mayor come on board. In what ways, if any, have you changed your approach to working as a councillor in the new team and how challenging has that been?
Cr Jurisevic: “I haven’t changed my approach as far as I am concerned.
“I am enjoying working with the four new councillors as they add a new dynamic and perspective to the way that we look at issues, especially through Covid, which has added another dimension and levels of complexity for all of us in working around council business and the challenges it presents.”
Q: If there was one thing you could change in council, what would it be?
Cr Stewart: “Much of what we face now has been pre-determined by resolutions made by the previous council.
“If I could change one thing, it would be that we come in with a ‘clean slate’ and all decisions are ‘on the table’ for discussion and potential change or amendment.
“I would like this history to be recognised within a strategic response along with integrating ongoing projects to which funds have been committed to.”
Cr Jurisevic: ”Reducing the volume of waste heading to landfill is still probably my number one concern and priority.
“It is the most significant contributor of greenhouse gases as far as council operations are concerned.”
Cr Lorentson: “Public perception.
“I am known to send lots of emails. I question and I challenge almost everything – not because I think council staff are sometimes wrong, but because sometimes there is simply better ways of doing things … eg rather than saying no, let’s say “yes, if … “ more often.“I would like the community to know that when I am emailing staff at 10pm, 11pm, 5am on a Saturday and Sunday, they reply. When I lose sleep over contentious issues, so do they.
“And like me, they do it because they genuinely care about this community. “And although I do not agree with staff on certain issues, I respect them.”Next week – Part 2: Deputy Mayor Frank Wilkie; Crs Wegener, Stockwell and Finzel
