By Jenel Hunt
The Southern Downs Regional Council has met for one ordinary meeting lasting just 15 minutes, and already a slightly more casual vibe is showing up.
With more younger members than ever before, the clothing choices were the most obvious difference to previous official occasions.
With the exception of Cynthia McDonald, none of the women wore high-heeled shoes. Cr McDonald was the standout as the most formally dressed councillor there, wearing a white suit pinned with her military medals during the swearing-in ceremony. Sarah Deane came a close second.
The men eschewed suits, opting for dark blazers over lighter coloured trousers, and two out of the three wore ties.
SDRC CEO Dave Burges wore his usual apparel of suit and tie.
Mayor Melissa Hamilton chose a simple black-and-white combination with a long-sleeved top tucked into a dark skirt … and definitely missed the formal look with her bone-coloured flats.
Clearly this council is not going to be about power dressing.
Adding a particularly family-orientated touch, the youngest person at the meeting was eight-month-old Jackson Deane, lying snug in his pram next to his mum, newly minted councillor Sarah Deane.
As the mayor led the meeting, she used given names rather than titles and surnames… another indication of a more relaxed atmosphere in chambers.
Perhaps by the time the council publishes its next iteration of its media kit, it will not state that for ordinary meetings, professional attire is expected.
