2024 Election Website

Rachael

CRUWYS

Firm

but

Fair.

About Me

Passion is a motivator It gets us to the door but without commitment that s where we stay Commitment keeps us knocking despite the setbacks It is a willingness to weather the storm I am willing My successful nomination for the Councillor vacancy mid last year sees me throw my hat into the ring as a political hybrid Having only served since June I am not a full term Councillor nor am I a raw recruit Despite most of the Council term being past these months presented a valuable opportunity to contribute and gain experience in what it takes to play a pivotal part in influencing local directions This along with my previous operational experience within the Local Government financial sector has afforded me the opportunity to come into this election with my eyes wide open To make the best decisions Council as a collective need to draw on a wide range of skills experience knowledge and perspective of what the local community wants and needs No one person has a monopoly on all the necessary solutions or tools to attain the goal of accelerated service delivery or any others set out by Council I am keenly aware that Council faces the unrelenting challenge to do more with less That it is saddled with the burden of providing additional services that state and federal governments refuse to shoulder any longer all whilst facing its own spiraling costs and diminished capacity to absorb them

Willing to weather the storm.

The weight of expectation is carried by Councillors through the mandate of the people This must be balanced with the fiscal responsibility of living within our budgets allowing for the continuation of the essential services needed across the Council area whilst maintaining intergenerationally equitable rating and charging decisions Everything done by Council comes at a cost So when any considerations are undertaken the first two questions that need to be asked are At what Cost and Who s paying So often during any election period regardless of the level of government a candidate at some stage will make promises all will come at a cost and the same two questions need to be asked Promises based on a small amount of knowledge and made during elections are rarely able to be realized I m not making these promises I will operate on principle The principle of fairness across the region Simply put delivering as much as we can for as little as we can I believe in a sensible and sober approach where the provision of needs and fairness in essential service delivery for all communities across our towns and regions irrespective of size or location should be paramount before any wants are contemplated As a prospective Councillor I offer you Commitment Principle and Fairness Your endorsement should you offer it is a privilege

Commitment. Principle. Fairness.

Key Dates & Polling Booth Locations

Postal Voting

Monday, 29 January 2024 - Postal vote applications open

Wednesday, 14 February 2024 - Issue of postal ballot papers commences

Monday, 04 March 2024 - Postal vote applications close at 7:00 pm

Tuesday, 26 March 2024 - Postal votes must be received by the ECQ

by 5.00pm

Early Voting

Monday, 04 March 2024 - Early voting begins

Friday, 15 March 2024 - Early voting period ends at 6.00pm

LG Returning Officer & Central Highlands

Returning Office

Shop 1, 7 Macaulay Road, Emerald, QLD Australia 4720

EARLY VOTING HOURS ONLY

Monday, 04/03/2024 09:00 AM - 05:00 PM

Tuesday, 05/03/2024 09:00 AM - 05:00 PM

Wednesday, 06/03/2024 09:00 AM - 05:00 PM

Thursday, 07/03/2024 09:00 AM - 05:00 PM

Friday, 08/03/2024 09:00 AM - 05:00 PM

Monday, 11/03/2024 09:00 AM - 05:00 PM

Tuesday, 12/03/2024 09:00 AM - 05:00 PM

Wednesday, 13/03/2024 09:00 AM - 05:00 PM

Thursday, 14/03/2024 09:00 AM - 05:00 PM

Friday, 15/03/2024 09:00 AM - 06:00 PM

ELECTION DAY

Saturday, 16 March 2024 - 8:00 am - 6:00 pm

Emerald Christian College

6373 Gregory Highway, Emerald, QLD Australia 4720

Emerald North State School

Campbell Street, EMERALD, QLD Australia 4720

Blackwater State School

43 Wey Street, BLACKWATER, QLD Australia 4717

Bluff State School

32 Main Street, BLUFF, QLD Australia 4702

Capella State High School

35-45 Gordon Street, CAPELLA, QLD Australia 4702

Duaringa State School

1 Charlotte Street, DUARINGA, QLD Australia 4702

Rolleston State School

16 Warrijo Street, ROLLESTON, QLD Australia 4702

Rubyvale Hall

7 Buridge Road, RUBYVALE, QLD Australia 4702

Springsure State School

55 Eclipse Street, SPRINGSURE, QLD Australia 4722

Tieri State School

Bottlebrush Lane, TIERI, QLD Australia 4709

Needs

before

Wants

Principles

over

Promises

CRUWYS

Rachael

Firm but Fair.

Representation

It is only natural to have an affinity for what you know best. When you are from one of the smaller towns it’s engrained to want to look after your backyard and to always back the underdog.

Having said this, we are an undivided Council and Councillors take an oath to faithfully and impartially carry out their duties. The moment you nominate for Council your backyard has changed and it just got a whole lot bigger.

It is your obligation both by way of legislation and morally to go in and bat fairly and equitably for everybody across the region.

From those in the Arcadia Valley’s whose only direct and tangible service is the quality of their road network to Australia’s last remaining miners common and the uncertainty small-scale hand miners have with proposed tenure capping, to every community in-between. From the length and breadth of our region, what candidates aren’t familiar with, must be learnt.

The moment you nominate, your backyard gets a whole lot bigger.

Aging within Community

We have wonderful projects across the region that tell the history of a region Community members recording the stories of individual communities so they aren t lost over time The thing is our aging community members are our living breathing history Every time as their needs aren t able to be catered for within our region and an older community member has to move away we lose stories and history that evolved from a lifetime of growing working and contributing to their community s life relationships and land With an estimated third of older Australians living regionally rurally or remotely they are met with sparse and difficult to access support We all know the further you get from a major city the more difficult it is to get a workforce and the more expensive they can become

In reality it comes down to job attraction and housing If job opportunities are created we need to be able accommodate the workforce so not to also put pressure on or displace those already here In the 2012 CHRC Community Plans aging with community was an issue brought up in many of the regions localities and again in the recent 2023 CHRC Visioning Project We need continued strong advocacy to state and federal governments in combination with community driven initiatives Just as the lack of child care has a impact within communities we should also be looking to make every practical attempt to ensure our older residents don t feel isolated despondent or fearful they will need to leave their community if they can no longer manage We want them not only residing in community but thriving within community

Aging community members are our living and breathing history

"Integrity is choosing courage over comfort; choosing what is right over what is fun, fast, or easy; and choosing to practice our values rather than simply professing them."

Brené Brown

Biosecurity

We are now seeing the results of reduced resources and blatant opportunities to consolidate functions at state government level There are now critical gaps in Queensland s Biosecurity System This situation threatens all Queenslanders whether urban or rural We now see the risk of new diseases pests and weeds coming into Queensland increasing significantly with the push towards renewable energy which is adding to the long list of biosecurity issues we already have to deal with Councils are competing for a reduced portion of funding to manage pest weeds and larger Local Government Area footprints require a greater proportion of funding for effective weed eradication in the regions Strong ddvocacy must continue on this front We see every year that government do not effectively fund the management of national parks and other state land let alone confront the expanding number of biosecurity issues that are already here or on our doorstep

There are now critical gaps in Queensland’s Biosecurity System

Good pest management is not a one off approach and requires sustained and persistent intervention Without regulatory the funds we do spend are worthless and recurrence or incursion are inevitable One glaring issue highlighted in the Queensland Audit Office s Managing Invasive Weeds 2023 2024 states Biosecurity Queensland does not know how much money state and local governments are spending on managing invasive species Neither it nor any other state entity captures this information As a result it is impossible for the Queensland Government to know its total spending on invasive species At Local Government level we need to ensure that our Biosecurity Plans are comprehensive and fit for purpose to eradicate if possible control if not prevent outbreaks and in the event of an incursion ensure containment At at strategic level we need to ensure that this effort is funded and staffed sufficiently within capacity

Biosecurity Plans need to be fit for purpose

Rural Roads

The primary focus for any elected Councillor should be a balanced budget within which basic service areas are seen as priorities and treated as such Rural roads are one such priority Rural roads should never be viewed as the last link of the transport network They are often the only direct and tangible service provided to rural ratepayers and form the most important link in providing access for the rural population Their permanent or seasonal absence is a crucial barrier in terms of the access of rural communities to other basic services provided within communities across the region Rural roads go beyond maximising the productive potential of agricultural land they are also relied upon by rural communities for their day to day schooling health needs and social connections It is crucial that the maintenance of rural roads is carried out on a timely and regular basis within the fiscal capabilities of Council Agriculture is a major economic driver underpinning the local economy in our region and roads are a vital aspect to it s continuation For that reason maintenance is a recurrent activity and needs to be financed as such

Rural road maintenance is a local

activity, affecting local people.

CAMPAIGN TRAIL

Meet the Candidates Events

EMERALD

Friday, 1st March 6pm to 8pm

Western Gateway Motel & Restaurant

BLACKWATER

Saturday, 2nd March 6pm to 8pm

Blackwater Country Club

Out & About

EMERALD

Wednesday, 6th March 12.30pm to 2pm

Kings Coffee House, The Plaza @ Emerald

SPRINGSURE

Saturday, 9th March

St Patrick’s Day Races

GEMFIELDS

Friday, 7th March 11am to 2pm

Pat’s Gems & Out & About

Firm but Fair.

How to Vote

First-past-the-post voting - COUNCILLORS

In a local government election for an undivided council or multi-member divided council, you'll vote for your Councillors using the first-past-the-post (FPTP) voting system.

You'll mark the box next to the required number of candidates of your choice.

For example, if eight candidates are to be elected to council, voters must mark eight boxes on the ballot paper.

Mobile: 0428 849 400

rachael@geronimobrahmans.com.au

Authorised by R Cruwys, 19 Eddy Drive, Capella Qld 4723, for R Cruwys (Candidate)