Ipswich Today

The Ipswich City Council election and Ipswich West by-election campaigns are reaching fever pitch as we approach the final two weeks before election day on March 16. Former Ipswich councillor Cheryl Bromage joins the show with further analysis and insights.
Recorded: 28 February 2024.
Published: 29 February 2024.
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Image: Former Ipswich councillor Cheryl Bromage (supplied)
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Ipswich City Council: www.ipswich.qld.gov.au/
Council meeting agendas and minutes: bit.ly/2JlrVKY
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Shape Your Ipswich: www.shapeyouripswich.com.au/
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Ipswich Art Gallery: www.ipswichartgallery.qld.gov.au/
Discover Ipswich: www.discoveripswich.com.au/
Workshops Rail Museum: https://www.museum.qld.gov.au/rail-workshops
Ipswich Libraries: www.ipswichlibraries.com.au/
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Nicholas Street Precinct: www.nicholasst.com.au/
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Creators & Guests

Host
Allan Roebuck

What is Ipswich Today?

Local voices, news, commentary and community information for residents and businesses in Ipswich, Queensland, Australia. Originally launched as Ipswich Election Watch 27 February 2020 the show was renamed Ipswich Today 23 April 2020. www.ipswichtoday.com.au

Allan Roebuck:

Coming up, the Ipswich city council election and Ipswich West by election campaigns are reaching fever pitch as we approach the final 2 weeks before election day on March 16. Former Ipswich councillor Cheryl Bromage joins the show with further analysis and insights. It's Thursday, February 29, 2024, and I'm Allan Roebuck. Welcome to Ipswich today, which acknowledges the traditional custodians of the land on which it is produced and pays respects to elders past, present, and emerging. This podcast is supported by Conetix, people powered web hosting trusted by Australian businesses since 1999.

Allan Roebuck:

I caught up with Cheryl Bromage again on February 28. I began by asking about the council election first and if there had been many election flyers through the letterbox.

Cheryl Bromage:

I've had nothing from council at all and which I find a little bit surprising. There was a council newsletter that came out just after Christmas, but I've received nothing from the candidates in my letterbox, my PO box, or even my work PO box that's based in the CBD.

Allan Roebuck:

Now that is not surprising to me because I've had more than one person say there's a distinct lack of flyers through letterboxes and it may be division specific, but there are obviously changes in campaign methods since you were first elected. There would have been a time you'd never miss letterbox drops.

Cheryl Bromage:

Absolutely. The first time around, you usually do one. So people actually get to know who you are and, you know, a little bit about your history because not everyone has social media. So you've got to play for the different demographics that are out there to get your message and your name out there. So I'm quite surprised that even the non incumbents haven't actually put something out.

Allan Roebuck:

Talking of the incumbents, what's the latest you're hearing? Should any of them be concerned?

Cheryl Bromage:

I think some should be concerned because you have to remember these people who had elected during COVID and I know some of them actually didn't win on primary votes but they actually got up on postal boats. So it would be interesting because it will be a totally different campaign that I think a lot of people would be more a stand up pre poll way rather than postal. So I think that might change a bit of the landscape.

Allan Roebuck:

Talking of early voting, it starts on Monday. The trend is in recent years has been for more people to vote early. Do you think this will continue?

Cheryl Bromage:

Absolutely. I think people have realized that, you know, the polling places for pre poll are usually in business districts where people have employment, people have got children's sport on the weekends that they need to go to. So I think people now will prepow more than turn up on Saturdays, and you can understand why people wanna do it that way.

Allan Roebuck:

At this stage of the campaign, what are candidates focused on, or more importantly, what should they be focused on?

Cheryl Bromage:

Well, it's quite interesting. I'm hearing a bit of a mix sort of bag out there, but there's one theme that comes through is infrastructure. A lot of people are talking about the state of the roads, they want new roads, they want curb and channel, they want new connection points like the Norman Street Bridge or connection down in Springfield onto the Centenary Highway, but they're also talking about the congestion. So talking about the time they're waiting at the traffic lights, now they seem to be of dialed wait times a lot longer at those intersections. I think that's starting to resonate a lot around the community, especially around infrastructure and new infrastructure, but it just depends on some of the divisions because the division 4 are looking at people with rural roads, same with division 3 about sealing of gravel roads.

Cheryl Bromage:

Division 3, of course, is looking at the waste industry. So it's quite diverse, but there is that theme around infrastructure that seems to be really hot.

Allan Roebuck:

Cheryl, you'll remember this, during your first term. Trevor Nardi was a councilor, and I can remember him, talking to me about that we gotta get this bridge. We gotta get this bridge, but, of course, we need support from another level of government to make it happen. And it seems to go through cycles. You were also very closely involved with the Norman Street Bridge Project at a time a website was launched.

Allan Roebuck:

I notice now that council has shut down that website. What should council be doing to really try and get this money for this bridge?

Cheryl Bromage:

The bridge is very critical, especially to the CBD for the revitalization because once the bridge is in place, they'll take some of the non necessary traffic out of the CBT to allow it to become more on street, guiding more opportunities to be vibrant in there. But the thing is, and a bit of the joke at the time was it couldn't be called a ring road. If you remember back in the early '90s, the council at the time said no ring road, no ring road. I had to call it an orbital road solution. So I think that's a bit of a a joke that's around as well, but it needs to happen for the whole city.

Allan Roebuck:

Some residents are claiming it's a bad thing for council to still be meeting during caretaker period. Are councils compelled to meet during caretaker?

Cheryl Bromage:

Yes, because you're supposed to have a council meeting every month under the Act. It's just that some of the rules change about what decisions can be made, what spends can be made and what contracts can be awarded. But it's difficult as a candidate and being an incumbent that you don't overstep the mark because quickly you will be jumped on by the CEO who will tell you what you have done wrong. But there is people in the community that watch very, very closely and would be more than happy to actually put a complaint in if you've actually gone too far.

Allan Roebuck:

Let's talk about the Ipswich West, by election now. The LNP is certainly giving it a good nudge. I've lost count how many visits, the leader of the opposition has had to Ipswich, including this week with the Queensland Health Crisis Town Hall he had in North Ipswich. Is this the most activity you've seen from the opposition in West Ipswich West?

Cheryl Bromage:

Absolutely. Because they're actually running it like a federal campaign by the amount of work, the time, the effort. But the member the number of Opposition people who have come up to actually come and support Darren has been quite a surprise. They have been out door knocking. So it has really got the feel of a federal campaign because the seat itself has had a typical Labor history.

Cheryl Bromage:

Albert Hiles, the National Party back in 'nineteen, I think it was in the '60s, and then of course Jack Paff and then Sean Choat. But the rest of the time it's been established, it's been a Labor seat. So it is quite an interesting turnaround and they must have a sniff that, you know, they they've got a chance.

Allan Roebuck:

Does having, David Crisafulli here make any impact, or does it make a difference?

Cheryl Bromage:

David, I've known for quite some time. I think it shows that they're serious. They've not taken anything for granted, And, the Labor Party are exactly the same way. They are not taking it for granted and they have got as many people. We have had Cameron Dick out here on the ground as well, who's out there trying to support, Wendy as well as other ministerial staff and backbenchers to try and make sure it stays in Labor hands.

Cheryl Bromage:

So it's been quite an interesting mix of people coming along, and I'm sure we're seeing the same thing at the by election down in Nahla.

Allan Roebuck:

Labor's Wendy Bourne is taking the high ground and, not openly criticizing her opponents that I've seen. Is this a good strategy?

Cheryl Bromage:

I think that's Wendy's nature, and I think people are sick of people fighting and showing in a negative light. And I think what Wendy is trying to do is show the positives, and I think that's her tactic of going forward is not to create any fuss, but actually seen as a stable type of candidate who, will take criticism, but not necessarily throw it.

Allan Roebuck:

Rusted on Labor voters will obviously support Wendy. Do you think Ipswich West can be considered safe at this by election?

Cheryl Bromage:

It's got a a quite a big margin, but I think with the way that the seed has been left vacant for a by election and what's happening with that member who is now running for Council, I think people are a little bit disappointed in what's happened. I think they're a little bit disappointed about infrastructure that hasn't happened out this way or work that hasn't been done. So anything is possible. So I wouldn't say yes and I wouldn't say no, but, you know, there's only one day that says the polling is right, and that's on election day.

Allan Roebuck:

What are you hearing out and about? The media will have us believe it's about crime. It's about health and cost of living. What are you hearing on the ground?

Cheryl Bromage:

I'm hearing it is about crime, but I'm also hearing about the Mount Crosby interchange. I'm hearing about the intersection out of Willowbank, I'm hearing about those sort of key issues as well as the crime issue. We don't seem to have some of the terrible situation that had down at Red Bank Plains here, but it doesn't mean to say it's never going to happen. But it seems to be those issues and health, of course, with Ipswich Hospital, you know, I train there as a nurse. It hasn't grown as much as it should for the size of the city and the catchment that West Moreton Health take in, but I'm sure, progressive governments coming forward will actually make sure there's more services for the expanding community and the population within and around Ipswich.

Allan Roebuck:

You've mentioned this just a short time ago, but let's recap the recent history of Ipswich West when it wasn't held by Labor. You mentioned the first one early in the piece. Then there was Jack Paff and Sean Choate. The last 2, what were the situation? What was the environment that they got elected?

Allan Roebuck:

Can you recall?

Cheryl Bromage:

Yeah. I remember with Jack Paff, of course, he was the 1 nation candidate who got up and he actually defected over after 1 year to the City Country Alliance Group. So I think people sort of forget that he was a one term candidate at the time before Don Livingston stood and beat him back in 2001. So he won the seat off Don and Don was able to get seat back after that.

Allan Roebuck:

And Sean Choat, very likable chap. He's running for mayor of Somerset, interestingly. How did he perform when he was a one termer?

Cheryl Bromage:

I think for for Sean, he was there from the 2012 swing. Everyone remembers that where they talk about the Toronto van for the amount of members that was left, because, you know, sometimes you could be a member who is being effective and good, but if the swing is on its own, there's nothing that you can do to, keep your seat. But Sean was in there for that, one term before he moved out to Somerset. He was a local at the time and had been involved with many organisations, and I worked with Shaun, to make sure that our area and our city got what we could. So he'll be a an interesting addition for the mayoralty out at Somerset.

Allan Roebuck:

Cheryl Bromage, thanks again for the insights, and thanks for chatting with Ipswich today.

Cheryl Bromage:

No problem. Thanks, Al, and, look forward to next time.

Allan Roebuck:

And that's it for this episode. Just a reminder to look for handy links in the show notes. Ipswich switch today is supported by Conetix, people powered web hosting trusted by Australian businesses since 1999. This podcast is listener supported. Please make a once only gift or regular donation to help keep it online.

Allan Roebuck:

Just go to Ipswich today.com.au. Follow and stream this podcast from your favorite app, including Iheartradio, or play Ipswich today on smart speakers. Music is supplied by Purple Planet Music. This is Allan Roebuck. Thank you for listening.