New Mount Isa mayor Peta MacRae has hit the ground running after being declared winner of the local government election on Tuesday, March 26.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Cr MacRae has spent the week getting across the economic consultant work being carried out in response to the Glencore announcement late last year.
Mount Isa is entering a period of economic diversification and Cr MacRae said there is little time to waste.
"They (consultants) should be finished by the end of May so obviously that's going to play a big part of what we need to be advocating for," she said.
"Also we've got our policies that we wanted and I'll also have to have a look at the policies of the newly elected councillors and what they wanted to implement during the term and see how we can gel those."
Cr MacRae views the new council term as a fresh start following a period of disfunction.
"I'm looking at the positive and (trying) to bring the community together to make of the situation the best we can and to have positive outcomes for our community," she said.
"That's what we are all here for and I know the newly elected councillors - that's what they'll all be here for as well."
Cr MacRae finished ahead of incumbent mayor Danielle Slade in the count, followed by Phil Barwick and David Fletcher.
Despite it being 10 days since polling day on March 16, Cr MacRae said she felt confident she had the numbers early on.
"I've started coming in and taking meetings," she said. "I'm here this week meeting with the newly elected councillors and to find out what portfolios that they're interested in holding."
Former mayor Slade congratulated the elected councillors and said she looked forward to spending quality time with her family and friends away from politics.
"I urge them (the councillors) to always prioritise the needs and concerns of our residents and to work collaboratively to create positive change in Mount Isa," she said.
"I also want to thank all the people who voted for myself and my team and supported and helped during the campaign it was truely humbling.
"I am so grateful to the Mount Isa community for putting their trust in me for the past four years. Like most of us, Mount Isa holds a special place in my heart, and it's been my privilege to serve our community."
While the Queensland Electoral Commission is yet to declare the results, councillor candidates Kim Coghlan, Dan Ballard, John Tully, James Coghlan, John Doyle and Travis Crowther are ahead in the polling with about 64 per cent of the count completed.