- Sub Main Menu
- sunshine coast
- noosa
- coolum
- national
- world
Possible shower min 12° - max 22° Finally, it's victory for Blumel
12:00a.m. 16th March 2008
Four years and three elections later, Yaroomba’s Debbie Blumel has finally got the nod from her local community.
Ms Blumel had stood as a Labor candidate in two state elections and one federal election before putting her hand up to run for the Sunshine Coast Regional Council.
Yesterday her persistence paid off. She attracted 49.7% of the primary vote, against former Maroochy Shire councillor Tony Northey’s 30.8% and taxi driver Jeff Watson’s 19.5%.
Ms Blumel said she expected to win as “the message was so crystal clear from the electorate”.
“They were very worried and very concerned about the impact of over-development, gridlock and social problems when development happens too quickly,” she said.
She was looking forward to working with fellow councillors.
“I will work hard to make sure we have we all have a spirit of cooperation under Bob’s leadership,” she said.
Tomorrow, she will resign from her job of 25 years with Queensland Health.
Other election stories:
I’ll leave with head held high: Natoli
Division one: Resounding win fires up Grosskreutz
Division two: Fatherhood on mind of winner
Division three: Preferences cost O’Kearney
Division four: result goes down to the wire
Division five: Johnson tips close result
Division six: Hulett trounced by young Christian
Division eight: Finally, it’s victory for Blumel
Division nine: Griffin’s victory taps into mood for change
Division 10: Johnson helps Tatton
Division 11: Noosa’s Green vows to repay trust
Division 12: Brennan expected to claim victory
For our election coverage, visit our election '08 page.
- 1Retailer slams supermarket duopoly
- 2Nudists spin bottle for nude beach
- 3Pineapple crushed
- 4Bondage sex game ends in death: court
- 5Long wait at Nambour hospital 'the norm'
- 6Boy, 13, pleads guilty to sex 'dare' charges
- 7Noosa man's housing crisis solution
- 8Curry-Kenny has tips for swimming lovebirds
- 9Junk food ad ban
- 10Lisa Curry-Kenny in heart emergency
Recent Comments
In the end, I simply didn't have the time or the money or the support of a large well-oiled party machine to get my message out.
To the around 2,500 people who supported me with their primary vote, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
No doubt you read the information all candidates provided and made an informed decision... I thank you for that.
What surprised me on polling day was the number of people who came to vote who stated they had never read or seen anything about any of the candidates... I would suggest that would apply to 40% or more of the voters.
The information was out there, through television news reports, fantastic coverage from the Sunshine Coast Daily and other print media, and in your letterboxes (but no doubt thrown away unread as "junk mail").
Of course, those "uniformed" people are easily influenced by the well-oiled party machine that provides 6 people and 6-12 signs per booth to send out the repeated message of who to vote for.
All I can do is congratulate Debbie and the Labor Party machine on their success... you did great!
Thank you again to all my supporters, well-wishers and those who voted for me... I appreciated your faith and only wish I could have done more for you in return.
Jeff Watson
Candidate for Division 8.
PS: I know this will seem strange to many and I still disagree with the direction he had taken and some decisions he made, but I got to know Tony Northey quite well over the past couple of weeks and what I found was a decent bloke who loves his family and cares for people. Thank you for your “friendship” of the past couple of weeks Tony... and I wish you the very best in your future endeavours.
I only wish we had been in a different situation and could have supported you, but that's politics I suppose. We do thank you for just being you, a thorough gentleman.
I never met Tony Northey and I appreciate your comments about him, I am sorry he was on the other side of the fence from us and I hope he will understand one day why the Alliance fought such a hard campaign against the anti cyclists. Though as of now he probably doesn't understand what an anti cyclist is.
I will be forever indebted to you for the quote "That Swan sure is looking expensive now huh"?
Yes, a group of local people with similar values and views, some of whom belong to the Labor Party, worked on her campaign on a voluntary basis as did her family and friends. They did so, as they have for three past elections, because of the respect and high regard they have for Debbie Blumel as a candidate for political office.
It is very easy to get volunteers with like minds to support an intelligent, hardworking and capable person who wants to use her skills to achieve the best possible outcomes for residents of the Sunshine Coast.
Funding for the campaign was raised at local events which paid for the T-shirts, corflutes and pamphlets. Local businesses did the printing. Local volunteers ran and staffed the campaign. Debbie made a substantial contribution in her personal dollars, time and effort.
I also find it interesting that you single out Debbie's campaign in particular for the 'party machine' comment.
Tony Northey had an equally well staffed and resourced campaign whilst maintaining that he was the only independent running in the Division 8.
I have no doubt that the local National and Liberal Party membership plus friends and family, were supporting some candidates' campaigns on the Coast. Those candidates just weren't quite as open about their party affiliations as was Debbie.
Having said all that I do wish you and your family well for the future Jeff.
When it was suggested to you that membership of the Party would be a precondition of any recommendation to members to volunteer their assistance, you gave notice that you subscribed to the objectives and policies of the ALP and that you intended to join.
That was all before Debbie Blumel announced that she would be nominating, a development that caused you to abandon the process applying for membership.
Debbie's friends and supporters in the ALP rallied to her, but a lot of her army of booth workers and letterboxers were not ALP members at all, but constituents who individually and independently decided that Debbie was a person they very much wanted elected and who put themselves forward to help make it happen.
That didn't happen to anything like the same extent for you, and you found yourself having to hire backpackers at the eleventh hour to hand out your how-to-vote cards.
You are the exact reason I hate politics.
Jeff Watson had to hire a backpacker at the eleventh hour to help because his wife was in a very serious car accident and was in hospitial and unable to help on Saturday as planned.
You are a mean person and need to have a good look in the mirror.
Not one of them said they were her friend or believed in her - most said they had common party affiliations. They all knew little about her personally. I also noticed all her signs were reused from her last state election campaign which I believe was fund by the ALP.
When asking Tony Northy's volunteers how they knew him everyone of them was a family member or friend who knew him and his family very well.
Anyway just thought i'd let you know and I do agree Jeff did great and should be proud of himself.
roadrunner you've commented on Tony and now you admit to never having met him. tsk tsk, shouldn't do that. and if you 'wish you could have supported Jeff'.. why didn't you?
FedUp stelis is right, quite literally the only thing stopping me from getting angry at you is the kitten asleep on my lap. you are a sour bitter person, or at least turn into that when you log on here.
oh. I've also met two of the people handing out for debbie, one admitted whilst he lived in div 8 his vote did not go to her, the other said "I wish i could get out of handing things out for that woman"
she is a good politician, i just hope she understands local council is grass roots.
Thankyou for your very interesting assertion. As Debbie's campaign manager I believe I may know the family and friends who volunteered for Debbie's campaign, certainly more than you could possibly have gleaned from asking them 'how they knew her'.
When you asked me that you will recall that I said I was a close friend and had been for many years.
Perhaps it is time end your bitterness and get behind your local candidate whether you supported them or not. After all the future of the Sunshine Coast is more important than hurt egos
FedUp... my wife was hospitalised late on Thursday afternoon as the result of a serious car accident and I was at the hospital with her until 2.00am Friday morning. I spent most of Friday with her also before she was discharged around 6.00pm with lots of torn muscles, bruising and some memory loss, but fortunately no permanent damage.
To be honest, during all that time, the election was of absolutely no concern to me... I was just so happy that Virginia was finally given the all clear and allowed to come home, and that's ALL that mattered.
As Virginia obviously proved she will go to any lengths to get out of handing out how to vote cards for me (only joking dear), I asked Maroochydore Backpackers on Friday evening to help me find a replacement for her which they did... and I was more than happy with that last-minute assistance.
To turn Virginia's accident into some sort of snide remark really isn't called for... not in my opinion anyway.
For everyone's information: I spoke to Debbie Blumel about Sunday lunchtime and we spoke at length.
As it was a private conversation and I respect her privacy, so I won't detail what was said... but the bottom line is that I'm now very confident she will be a good Councillor for the residents of Division 8 and I congratulated her AND her supporters on the win.
I appreciate the passion of my supporters and of Debbie's supporters, but I'd hate to see that passion turn into a slinging match that will ultimately do no-one any good.
Whatever happened, that's politics... and it's over now.
Not that it's needed of course (lol), but Debbie has my complete confidence as my local Councillor and she deserves everyone's support and best wishes!
Jeff Watson.
PS: And finally, a special comment to stelis... from the time you agreed to support me, you have been an invaluable asset and I'd publicly like to thank you for all you've done! (hugs)
Have your say
We welcome comments on our stories and blogs - after all it's your site. Please note comments should be on-topic and not abusive. Comments are checked before publication.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts
Your comments will be checked, for legal reasons, before being posted live.
Thanks again for contributing to the Daily's online community.
We value your views.
Comment again