Hinterland to lock in local rep for Division 1
By Mitch Gaynor
HINTERLAND businesswoman Jenny Broderick looks to have swept to victory in Division 1 of the Sunshine Coast Regional Council local elections, securing over 55 per cent of votes with 75 per cent of counting completed.
As of Monday 12pm (March 18), Ms Broderick had received 10,584 votes, or 54.79 per cent, with Kristy Taylor-Rose on 7,122 votes (37 per cent). The division’s third candidate, Stan Nawrocki, received 1610 votes (8.34 per cent).
While Ms Taylor-Rose is yet to formally concede it appears unlikely she could chase down Ms Broderick with less than 7000 ballots to count.
It is second time’s a charm for Ms Broderick who lost against former councillor Rick Baberowski in the 2020 race. “It hasn’t been declared, so I don’t know if I’m allowed to celebrate,” Ms Broderick told GC&M News.
“It’s very surreal at the moment.”
The resounding result has been the culmination of a five-year plan for Ms Broderick.
The former chamber of commerce president said she had been focused on getting to know voters across the diverse division, which takes in the hinterland and newer Aura suburbs east of the Bruce Highway. Caloundra was always going to be the X-factor for the long-term hinterland local, but Electoral Commission Queensland figures show Ms Broderick had polled strongly in pre-polling.
“I’m shocked I polled those numbers, but I believe it’s because we’ve done our work for so many years,” she said.
“The whole time we’ve been out in the community on both sides of the highway to make sure we grasp what’s going on right across the Sunshine Coast and what really matters to people.
“It’s been a five-year journey.
“We knew last time it may take another term to get in, but this time around people knew me that much better.”
The only booths Ms Taylor-Rose achieved a majority was in her home suburbs of Baringa and Caloundra West.
Ms Broderick said that the hard work would now begin.
She said that her focus would be on continuing to listen to people.
“During our campaign, people were telling me they just wanted to be heard,” she said.
“They feel that money goes into the city centre and not out here. They feel left out and want to make sure they are heard and listened to.
“There’s specific concerns such as maintenance, infrastructure, a footpath between Beerwah and Glasshouse, and what is important is that people have a councillor that is visible, connected and listening to those issues.
Ms Broderick said she would be committed to having a local presence to ensure she was “accessible and available for people to see me”.
“There’s a lot to get our head around,” she said.
“At the end of the day, it’s about listening to the community letting them know I’m here.”
Ms Broderick also gave a big thanks to her supporters.
She said none of this would have been possible without her supporters.
“I want to say a massive thankyou to my family and Team Jenny and the community for their support,” she said.
“I will be doing everything in my power to represent and serve the community in the best way possible.”