The face-to-face forum was scheduled for Wednesday, May 4, but participants were informed late last week that the forum was being cancelled due to “time constraints’’.
It is believed that a lack of time to co-ordinate all nine councillors and the now 11-strong field was the reason behind the decision to cancel the forum
It would have allowed the candidates a handful of minutes each with the council members to discuss what a federal member of parliament could do to further enhance the facilities and operation of the region.
The forum would not have been a public event, instead a “job interview’’-style scenario for the candidates to impress on the council just how invested and knowledgeable they were about the Campaspe region.
Candidates, instead, have been asked to respond to the following question, by email, posed by Mayor Chrissy Weller: What can you do for Local Council?
The Riv is aware that several of the candidates for the electorate, at least those who announced their intentions to stand some months ago, have unsuccessfully reached out to the council for interaction.
Due to the election date not having been confirmed, when contacted, candidates did not appear too concerned by the decision of council not to meet with them.
Since the announcement of an election there have been no official meetings between the candidates and the nine-member council.
Several candidates have met with individual councillors, in fact, at least three I have spoken to directly have been impressed with discussions they have held with Cr Weller.
None, that I spoke to, had met face to face with chief executive Declan Moore — although a couple did admit they had not sought a meeting with the shire’s highest ranking officer.
The leading candidates have met, in some official capacity and face to face, with senior officers of the Moira, Mitchell and Greater Shepparton councils.
Those same candidates confirmed they had spoken via Zoom with Strathbogie Shire Council officers.
In keeping candidates at arm’s length it will be interesting to see just how healthy the future relationship of council and its federal member turns out to be.
A response to a Riv inquiry from the office of retiring Federal Member for Nicholls, Damian Drum, said he had enjoyed a “very good working relationship with the council, particularly current Mayor Chrissy Weller”.
