Marking the start of his third term, Sunshine Coast Mayor Mark Jamieson took his Declaration of Office before council’s Acting Chief Executive Officer Warren Bunker this morning.
Mayor Jamieson was also on hand to welcome each of the councillors to the 2020-2024 council term and support them as they took their own Declarations.
The new Council which assumed office today is:
Mayor: Mark Jamieson
Division 1: Rick Baberowski
Division 2: Terry Landsberg
Division 3: Peter Cox
Division 4: Joe Natoli
Division 5: Winston Johnston
Division 6: Christian Dickson
Division 7: Ted Hungerford
Division 8: Jason O’Pray
Division 9: Maria Suarez
Division 10: David Law.
“This is an important day for our region and on behalf of all members of our community, I congratulate the councillors on their election and look forward to working with them over the course of the next four years,” Mayor Jamieson said.
“Potentially no other council has come into office in this region at such a challenging time, with our focus very much on supporting our community as it manages its way through the most significant public health challenge in more than a century.
“I impressed on all councillors our important role as guardians for the well-being of our community as we deal with the implications of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the associated national public health directions.
“Likewise, it is incumbent on us as a council to ensure we have in place a coherent plan to support the region navigate into and through the recovery phase and be well-positioned into the future.
“Now, more than ever, there will be a need to work collaboratively and decisively in the interests of keeping our community safe and re-instilling confidence in the future for themselves and for our region.
“I am optimistic there is a prevailing willingness across the team to roll their sleeves up and do the hard yards so that the community is well-placed both now and as we move through and beyond the current crisis.
“I have always said that the most important thing any government can do is provide confidence to its constituency and I believe this is precisely what our council can and will do,” he said.
Mayor Jamieson also took the opportunity to acknowledge and thank outgoing councillors Tim Dwyer, Jenny McKay, John Connolly, Stephen Robinson and Greg Rogerson for their service and contributions to the region during their time as elected representatives.
“Our community has been well served by Tim, Jenny, John, Stephen and Greg and I would like to thank each of them for their contributions to the region as Councillors and wish them every success in their future endeavours,” Mayor Jamieson said.
“In the case of long serving Councillors Tim Dwyer and Jenny McKay, they leave extensive legacies and big shoes to fill, but I am confident their successors are more than up to the task.”
Mayor Jamieson said a statutory post-election meeting would be held within 14 days of the conclusion of the election, at which time Council would consider the appointment of a Deputy Mayor and the council meeting schedule for the remainder of the year.
“Of course, this meeting will be conducted a little differently to those held in the past to comply with the national public health directions currently in place due to COVID-19,” Mayor Jamieson said.
“Council is finalising arrangements for the meeting with live-streaming capabilities and will keep our community informed on how they can view the meeting live and online.”
