Countdown to shire council election day

Australian voters are well catered for when it comes to representative government.

Our democratic system provides for three levels of administrative decision-making – Federal, State, and, of course, Local Government.

Those who believe they have something to offer their local community, their state or federal parliaments, present themselves and their ideas to the voters of the appropriate electorates for the right to serve as an active and official voice in the business of governing and leading their electorates.

It is often said that Local Government is the closest and most effective form of delivering progress and services to the people who are in daily need of what some political snobs may describe as ‘roads, rates and rubbish.’

On September 14, 2024 it’s the turn of Local Government bodies in NSW to be the focus of community attention but it must be said that public interest generally across the state in this election seems to be at less than fever pitch.

In some electorates there has been a failure to attract sufficient candidates to run an election, while in some larger council areas some wards will be uncontested.

Then, of course, we had slap-stick politics of the Liberal Party where a crucial deadline for nominations was missed with the result that about 140 keen party candidates won’t be on the ballot.

One political scientist has declared that a prevailing lack of trust in local government (especially in metropolitan areas) may be reason that fewer people are prepared to seek nomination for a councillor’s seat.

However, such is not the case on the Narrabri Shire! Interest is high.

This time around Shire voters will have a record field of 38 candidates for the nine seats in the Narrabri Council Chamber.

It would seem, in 2024, Narrabri Shire ratepayers are spoiled for choice!

Following the elections there will be new and familiar faces around the council table.

The Courier, as the local newspaper for more than 100 years, has been happy to welcome community interest in the 2024 elections because there are a number of issues in this area which will benefit from the ‘contest of ideas’.

A role of a local newspaper is to act as a forum for discussion and debate, especially those matters which can lead to more effective local administration.

We welcome candidates’ views and opinions in the campaign advertising columns which are fact-based but contestable in fair debate.

Voters need to hear and read differing and far-sighted ideas about how our Council can respond to present-day challenges and offer progressive projects for the future.

We invite our readers to keep in touch with the candidates’ promises and decide for yourselves who are the most deserving of a seat in the new Council.