UPDATE SATURDAY 11PM: IT LOOKS looks as though councillor Darren Everard will return to the Fraser Coast Regional Council team as he sits in the lead with 47% of the votes in division 7.

Peter Carey is sitting behind at 22% followed by Ken Taylor at 15%, Chris Collins at 8% and Rob Braddock with 5%.

DIVISION SEVEN

I AM a person who believes in the truth and honesty, stands by my beliefs and common sense theories and thinking before doing.

Voting for me would see any temptation of a potential corrupt councillor or mayor be exposed immediately.

My key promise is to serve the residents of Hervey Bay and start making wrong, right.

Putting Hervey Bay back on the map by getting direct flights from Melbourne and flying north to Cairns three days a week.

Rates should be kept in accordance with the CPI and making rates simpler by having a payment plan that's financially sustainable for all rate payers.

Look at the sport precinct in five to ten years. Sort out and fix the other major issues first.

I believe the foreshore looks fantastic, why fix it when it's not broken?

Invite unique and established businesses and or companies, bring back manufacturing for any industry, offer more incentives to new businesses or people with sustainable ideas.

Profit before the people is how I and other residents see it. A smart council and an intelligent mayor is what we need for the Fraser Coast.

-Peter Carey

Lived in Hervey Bay since 2001.

I will ensure there is more open, honest communication with residents and more community consultations within Division 7.

My key promise is to maintain the balance between the current lifestyle we enjoy and future development.

Keep rates to a minimum, while ensuring we are able to provide current services. I continue to hear CPI plus 1% as a goal to try and achieve.

I am opposed to the sport precinct. Show me the funding from other tiers of government and I will re-think my stand.

In Hervey Bay we must keep what little heritage we have at Freedom Park and the rotunda on Scarness Beach.

I will provide a conduit for business to communicate more effectively with council.

Better drainage, ensure adequate water for our future and deliver more kerb and channelling.

Work with the State Government for better infrastructure and maintenance on Fraser Island.

We should explore greater opportunities for job creation by working with state and federal governments.

-Chris Collins

I LIVE in division seven and have two children at public schools in the area. I am multiple trade qualified and have no affiliations with any political or business groups.

You want open discussion, persistence and performance, feedback, and ownership of your issues.

My key promise is you all deserve equal, unbiased representation.

I believe rationalising is necessary.

One landowner should not pay more than another for the same services.

The sports precinct needs more public consensus.

Would benefit some more than others.

Greater support/subsidising of existing groups and facilities would be more beneficial.

I have always believed that we should never forget where we have come from.

Forgetting, is the first step in ending up back there.

I believe there should be less business red tape and more support for small/home based business.

Foreshore? Protect, preserve, improve, utilise. In that order.

Removal benefits few, preservation benefits the whole area.

Less focus on the tourist strip, more focus on the whole region. .

The days of a regional beachside retirement town are gone, replaced instead with a cumulative mess of multi-nationals, high density estates, acreage blocks, incomprehensible traffic routes, excessive fees, inefficient services and destruction of our natural resources.

Progress and growth are necessary. Complacency is not.

-Ken Taylor

I was born and educated in Maryborough, Queensland.

I worked in administration for major construction companies in Australia and overseas for 17 years.

I moved back to Hervey Bay and have been operating a taxi for the past 26 years.

I thank the Fraser Coast Chronicle for the opportunity to advise the readers my view on a range of subjects and my key promises.

I have not made any promises to the people in my electorate, but have told them that I will liaise with community organisations within my division as well as individuals, to find out what their concerns and priorities are.

There should be broad and in depth consultation with concerned organisations or individuals early in the process before plans are too far advanced.

-Darren Everard

Cr Everard did not provide a candidate profile.

As the sport,events and open spaces councillor, Darren Everard has been responsible for the region's parks and gardens.

He was a pioneering force in developing the early Fraser Coast Sport Precinct.

Cr Everard is also involved with the Hervey Bay Surf Life Saving club.

DIVISION EIGHT

I AM a long-term resident and the only candidate living in division 8.

I'm prepared to listen to residents and will work hard with a proven track record in community service.

My key promise is to review rates and provide value for money services; assess council's senior management and wasteful spending; improve community consultation.

Rates are too high and unsustainable, the rating structure needs to be addressed to be fair for all residents.

Sports precinct should be put on hold, it is not a priority right now with poor community consultation so far.

Consider further options with existing venues.

Heritage is highly valuable and should be protected for future tourism benefits. Cities that lose their heritage are cities without a soul.

We should assist business by keeping rates and charges affordable and actively encourage local spending and establish industries to increase employment.

We have abundant parkland but More needs to be done to protect our beaches and combat erosion. Too much money gets spent on planning without providing practical results.

Local roads and traffic congestion requires urgent attention.

Infrastructure attracts high capital cost so sensible, long term solutions must be achieved.

Council isn't efficient and currently isn't providing cost effective services to the community so that's where we need to start. Do your research and vote for people who are willing to work tirelessly for all ratepayers.

-Robert Garland

I AM a resident of 24 years, deputy mayor and division 8 councillor.

Being at the grassroots of so many parts of our wonderful community has given me the experience and knowledge to use to the benefit of all Fraser Coast residents.

As deputy mayor and division eight councillor, we have much to celebrate, with improved service delivery across all operations.

A science degree, management diploma and a training background, I feel has underpinned my demonstrated skills as an effective councillor.

My key promise is to provide even better roads, park improvements and 12-month cap on animal registration fees.

Hold service levels and limit rate rises by driving budget savings, finding efficiencies and securing our fair share of Federal and State Government funding.

Help drive the 20-year Sports Plus Project to provide a venue for high level sporting and community events for all ages.We deserve it.

Continue to protect heritage and support business through competitive council fees and Fraser Coast Opportunities services.

Maintain the foreshore as one of our region's drawcards and develop a much-needed youth adventure park.

Essential road and drainage infrastructure delivery is a must and now is not the time to take the foot off the pedal.

Make the Fraser Coast, a location of choice to live, work, rest, invest and play.

-Krissie Miller

I AM a married mother-of-two children with a background in youth work, community services, tourism and event management.

I am passionate about this wonderful region, I am a hard worker and I don't make promises I can't keep.

My key promise is to remain open, honest and accountable, to work with integrity for the people.

Rates should be bought back in line with CPI.

Divisional councillors should also be speaking with ratepayers that are having financial trouble with paying their rates and looking for better solutions than auctioning people's homes.

The sports precinct needs to be put on hold until we have the population and infrastructure to support it, and the backing of State and Federal governments.

We should look at promoting our heritage instead of building houses on these sites.

 Offer business incentives to come to the area, such as reduced fees, offer landlord incentives to get them to keep their offices and shops tenanted.

 Listen to the people, bring back community consultation, let's help grow our region into the thriving happy place we know it can be.

 

-Les Muckan

I've done the hard yards, learning to be reliable, honest and accountable for the actions I may take.

The one thing I promise to bring the concerns of division 8 to the table of decision making and discussion.

I believe the rates should be cupped at the national CPI increase only.

I do not support the sport precinct, as the money could be spent in other needed places such as infrastructure.

Businesses and individuals can both boom if we work together, promoting Hervey Bay as the City of Tourism, Maryborough as the City of Heritage and promoting Howard, Woocoo, Tiaro and other outlying areas, as our regional rural sectors.

Our foreshore should be dressed to invite all visitors to a safe secure environment.

If we do not unite with our decision making and stop the "us and them" syndrome, then our future could be very dim.