We now have the CEO of the Council having to face the media to answer for the actions of our elected mayor and Councillors. Did we vote for the Council CEO or our Mayor and Councillors?

In previous Councils we always had the opportunity to read and listen to the various Councillors express their views on matters before the Council but under this regime I can’t recall our local media report a discussion or debate in the Council Chamber, maybe our local media should bear some of the blame for the apparent non-performance of the Councillors.

These men and women who are the elected Councillors receive nearly $70,000 per years for a very, very, very, part time job.

How often are these Councillors seen appearing at community events?

How many times do you go along to the various volunteer groups and see members of our Council either in attendance or indeed holding positions. 

To be a successful councillor you should be attending the various functions around the City, meeting and talking to people, gauging their views on current events and generally being there to assist.

Alas our councillors are anonymous, never seen in the public domain, never expressing a view in public about Council or other matters.

In a couple of weeks time they will be celebrating the half way term of their four year tenure. I don’t think that there will be much celebrating by the people of the City but what we should be doing is working to rid our City of the Current Mayor and every one of her Councillors when they face re-election in two years time.

Kendall Santillan, 

Mount Isa

How good was the Opening Ceremony of the Commonwealth Games?

How proud Mount Isa ought to be that our own son and Internationally acclaimed Indigenous digeridoo player, William Barton played his ‘dige’ atop Q1 tower, welcoming the world to the Games.

Then to have the ceremony announcer broadcast, to an estimated television audience of two billion viewers, that ‘William was born in Mount Isa’ surely put a smile on the face of every local. William Barton epitomises Mount Isa’s quiet achievers.

Kim-Maree Burton, Mount Isa

This Thursday may be our only opportunity to get a fair hearing for the high cost of airfares in regional Australia. 

This is a federal inquiry and it has never been more important that we all show up.

The Senate Enquiry Hearing is scheduled for 9 am Thursday in Cloncurry.  

Our Member for Traeger has organised with Senator Barry O’Sullivan for a public meeting to give Mount Isa and North West Residents a chance to have a voice. 4 pm, Thursday, Good Shepherd Catholic College, Lumen Christi Centre.   

It looks to me, the Senator has given us an hour and ½ on his way to the Mount Isa airport.  While I’m disappointed we have missed out a hearing, we need to make the most of what we have.

This is our chance to have our voices heard.  While we won’t be able to speak in Cloncurry and maybe not have time to be speak in Mount Isa, we can still be heard.

If we all bring to the meetings an A4 white sheet of paper/sign with the price of the last ridiculous airfare you paid to get out of Mount Isa or any regional airport and just have it in front of you, it will get the attention of the committee and indeed the media.

Our region, our people, our future – please support the Cloncurry and Mount Isa Hearings.

Danielle Slade, Mount Isa