Get the latest news to your email inbox FREE!

REGISTER

Get the latest news to your email inbox FREE!

REGISTER
HomeYour LettersLet the State Government run the shire

Let the State Government run the shire

Mayor Bellingham appears to be the spokesman for the Southern Downs Regional Council so I assume he is speaking for all the councillors when he reportedly stated in the Southern Free Times 28/7/11: “I’m sick of being the whipping boy for the State Government regulations”.
The job that these councillors applied for and said they were capable of doing was to run this Shire on the ratepayers’ behalf. They were elected and paid by the ratepayers on this expectation. They were not elected and are not paid by the State Government. If elected representatives cannot achieve expectations, then there is a substantial financial saving to be made for ratepayers by not employing them. If the local councils are just a department of the State Government, then why are we wasting money even having local elections? Let the State Government run the shire and in doing so, it will at least halve the excuses.
Mike Downing

Digital Edition
Subscribe

Get an all ACCESS PASS to the News and your Digital Edition with an online subscription

ARK’s pet of the week is Huxley

Huxley is a gorgeous Kelpie x Border Collie who clearly missed the memo about being a high‑drive working breed. While his ancestors were out...
More News

Cool Music in hot form in Warwick

Bryan Dais is keen to step Cool Music up in distance after the mare returned to form by claiming the Les Clarke Memorial race...

Festival fever in Stanthorpe as Apple and Grape hits 60

Stanthorpe is ready to light up as Australia’s longest running harvest festival gets set to celebrate 60 years, transforming the town into a carnival...

Residents hoping Cherrabah rejection sends clear message

Elbow Valley residents are hoping the Southern Downs council’s overwhelming rejection of a controversial water bottling facility at Cherrabah Resort sends a clear message...

McMillan and Ludlow star

Brendan McMillan and Lynette Ludlow took the titles as 39 players, including nine women, played out a Single Stableford sponsored by Stanthorpe’s Hello World...

Three teams in semis hunt

Souths, Valleys and RSL are all still in the race for the Stanthorpe and District Cricket semi final with just one round to go...

Warwick Show returns for 2026

The annual Spano’s IGA Warwick Show is returning to the Warwick Showgrounds from Friday, 10 March to Sunday, 22 March, promising a weekend of...

Festival icon Johnny Crunch returns

Johnny Crunch, also known as Jonno Apple, will again lead the 2026 Apple and Grape harvest festival parade. The nearly 4 metre high fibreglass...

Stanthorpe swimmers excel at Pittsworth

A team of eight swimmers from Stanthorpe Swimming Club headed to Pittsworth on Sunday for the Pittsworth Piranhas long course swim meet. “There...

Forgotten Dalveen veterans finally recognised

Nineteen World War One veterans have been added to the Dalveen Honour Board after over a century of being unnamed and unrecognised in the...

Grassroots push to stop gendered violence before it starts

Advocates will spell out the 12 actions community members can take to prevent violence against women at two free workshops in Warwick next week. The...