Twenty one candidates for the Armidale Dumaresq Council Elections on September 8 took to the floor on Sunday afternoon at the Town Hall when New England Toastmasters hosted a public forum for the community to meet their candidates.
Whether it was coincidence or a natural aversion to party politics encroaching in local government, independent candidates sat to one side of the Town Hall well away from the Liberals, Greens and Labor.
Given only two minutes to put their cases to the forum candidates all appeared to be on the same page addressing issues currently plaguing a ‘stagnating Armidale Dumaresq Shire’, like the need to develop business opportunities, the establishment of an industrial area near the Armidale Airport, increased community consultation, a new look and vitality for the Armidale Mall, taking advantage of the NBN, an immediate review of council’s finances, developing affective strategies to help young people stay in Armidale, creating outlets for young people to access counselling services and addressing the issue of increasing anti-social behavior on Friday and Saturday nights. However current Armidale Dumaresq Councillors were on the defensive with Acting Mayor Jim Maher claiming that the ‘doom and gloom’ picture painted of Council’s position and lack of action was over inflated.
Unfortunately once the microphone was handed to the community, who seemed to struggle to address their questions to one particular candidate, it became a jostle to answer the questions from the candidates with the forum enduring the painful repetition of multiple answers.
Questions put to candidates included: What is being done for rural residents of old Dumaresq Shire?; What are candidates position on increasing parking times from one to two hours in areas of the CBD?; What will be done to address the dying Armidale Mall?; What will be done to address the issue of increased consumption of alcohol in the CBD and its impact? And do candidates support the need for a new Library and Civic Precinct?
Chair of the forum President of New England Toastmaster’s Richard Doyle tried to keep the forum on task but eventually gave in with incumbent councillors dominating time for answers.
“Apart from some initial confusion I think the forum went very well,” said Mr Doyle.
“The incumbent candidates tended to try and take the stage too much and we didn’t have enough time for the incoming candidates.
“Some of the questions were a bit rhetorical and weren’t directed properly at a certain candidate with generally airy fairy questions.”
Evident at the forum was the divisive nature that the inclusion of groups and parties has created with Mr Doyle claiming that if candidates stood alone it would give a more diverse council.
The disappointing fact however was that the forum did not attract a diverse representation of the Armidale community with the predominant demographic being the over fifties.
“It would have been great to see a larger number of youth here,” said Mr Doyle.
“There are people within New England Toastmasters who aren’t up with what is happening with council so it is a general feeling that those people under 30 aren’t as interested as they otherwise should be.”
