12:00a.m. 26th February 2008

| By Jane Gardner

Noosa Mayor Bob Abbot has emerged as a strong favourite for the Sunshine Coast mayoralty, according to the results of the biggest ever Coast survey of residents.

More than half of the people who filled out a Your Coast Your Say survey in January indicated they would vote for Mr Abbot on polling day on March 15, preliminary results show.

Mr Abbot said he wasn’t surprised by the result but it did not necessarily mean he would emerge the victor.

“It’s what I was hoping for,” he said.

“We’ve worked pretty hard to try and get the policies out there and given these surveys were filled in very early in the campaign, it’s a very good base to work from.

“Although it feels good to be in this position, you’ve got to remember that there are a large amount of people who want different leadership who still need to make up their mind which way to go.”

The four-page survey, run by the Daily, thedaily.com.au and Seven Local News, attracted 1582 responses last month.

Initial analysis by the University of the Sunshine Coast shows 56% of those who responded would prefer Mr Abbot as the new mayor and 15% want Maroochy Mayor Joe Natoli in the top job after the amalgamation elections.

Of the remainder, 27% wanted new leadership and 2% wanted a specific person not nominated for the position. Unfortunately for those 27%, Mr Abbot and Mr Natoli are now the only two contenders after nominations closed on February 19.

Mr Natoli said he was not discouraged by the results.

He said they did not accurately reflect the feedback he had been getting from the public.

“I am only interested in the poll on March 15 – they are the only statistics that matter,” he said.

“I’m very proud of my record and very confident that I am the person who can come up with new ideas and who has the capability to manage and be a mayor for the entire region.

“I’ll make sure I represent the entire Sunshine Coast and not just on one particular issue.

“The $400,000 that Noosa Council spent on promoting anti-amalgamation is something that has certainly given Bob Abbot national recognition, but I feel the Noosa community are torn by having been taken to a point of no return, then almost abandoned by Bob.

“Even in Noosa I’m getting very strong feelings about fresh ideas and new leadership.

“What I’m hearing very clearly is (people) want to be guaranteed their communities are not going to change; this is something I’ve fought very strongly for in Maroochy Shire.”

Of the survey respondents, 59% were from Maroochy shire, about 28% lived in Caloundra and only 13% in Noosa shire.

Survey respondent Alan Macdonald, of Little Mountain, echoed the sentiments of those who wanted an “unbiased” mayor.

His preference was for a candidate from outside the region.

“Bob Abbot is too interested in his own area and retaining the Noosa image (and) I don’t think Joe Natoli would be the right leader either.”

Maroochydore woman Ebony O’Rourke disagrees with Mr O’Neill’s sentiments. She will cast her vote for Mr Natoli because she is impressed with his track record in Maroochy Shire.

“I’ve met Joe and his wife a few times and they are decent people. He will handle the responsibility of the job,” Ebony, 24, said.

> Development is our key concern: survey

For our election coverage and candidates nominating for council, visit our election '08 page.

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