12:29p.m. 17th December 2007

| Toby Walker and Suzanne Keen

Noosa Mayor Bob Abbot at today's announcement that he is standing for the mayoralty of the Sunshine Coast Regional Council. Photo: Geoff Potter/n19321a

Noosa Mayor Bob Abbot has launched his campaign for the mayoralty of the new Sunshine Coast super-council with the slogan “Big Bob for the Big Job”.

He outlined his election pitch at the Noosa Marina in front of around 100 guests, including high-profile local identities such as radio personality Jamie Dunn, who introduced him to the crowd, former Olympian Raelene Boyle, ex-ironman Hayden Kenny and former rugby league star Willie Carne.

Mr Abbot said that although he was still anti-amalgamation, he had to accept that Queensland Premier Anna Bligh had ruled out any poll on the issue.

He told the crowd he had an “uncompromising track record” of standing up for his community, and that would not change.

The cornerstone of his “black and white” campaign is: “What you see is what you get.”

Black and white balloons, T-shirts and badges were on display at the launch. One of the T-shirts emblazoned with the “Big Bob for the Big Job” slogan was even donned by Maroochy councillor Christian Dickson after Mr Abbot had made his speech.

The Noosa Mayor said SSC was an acronym for “sustainability, service and common sense”.

He pledged to keep the focus on the small communities scattered across the Sunshine Coast, saying he would work to help them retain their character and individuality.

Mr Abbot said that if elected to lead the super-council, he would forge new structures to ensure the voices of these small communities weren’t drowned out by bigger competing interests.

Asked about his profile in other parts of the Coast, he replied: “I believe I am the most recognisable politician on the Sunshine Coast.”

Mr Abbot said he did not know exactly what his campaign budget would be, but suggested “a ballpark figure of $150,000”.

Iconic Events public relations company is helping drive his campaign, and later today Mr Abbot will open a campaign office in Tewantin.

The Friends of Noosa said Mr Abbot’s announcement meant he had “moved on” from his stance against the merger of the three Coast councils, and that anti-amalgamation residents were now on their own.

“We wish Bob every success in his mayoral campaign, but plainly he cannot continue to actively support our cause,” Friends of Noosa spokesman Jim Berardo said.

“The battle to save Noosa must now be fought by Noosa residents. We cannot expect support from elected representatives. We’re on our own.”

Mr Berardo said the Friends of Noosa would continue to rebuke the state government for its dismissal of the results of a recent plebiscite on the amalgamation issue.

“Premier Bligh and Minister Pitt have failed to acknowledge the significance of those results,” he said.

The Friends of Noosa are pursuing a range of avenues to continue their fight against amalgamation, including a formal complaint to the Crime and Misconduct Commission regarding the government’s handling of the process.

Mr Berardo said they were are also inviting federal Labor to re-visit its pre-election stance opposing forced amalgamations and supporting the plebiscite.

“Friends of Noosa have other initiatives in the pipeline ... at the very worst, assuming we fail to prevent the looming amalgamation, you can rest assured that we will be working to de-amalgamate Noosa from Maroochy and Caloundra.”

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