Councillors

Council is made up of the Mayor and ten Councillors who are elected by the community every four years to represent the views of residents within the region.

Where is my division? Search by address to find your division on the ECQ website

Roles and Responsibilities

Under Queensland’s Local Government Act 2009, the Mayor and Councillors are responsible for:

• Setting Council’s vision, priorities, policies and strategic direction.
• Approving the annual budget and monitoring how funds are spent.
• Reviewing how Council delivers services, programs and projects.
• Ensuring decisions comply with laws, ethical standards and community expectations.
• Representing the interests and needs of the Fraser Coast community.

The Mayor has some additional responsibilities, including:

• Chairing Council meetings and guiding discussions to reach decisions.
• Speaking on behalf of Council in the community and to the media.
• Providing leadership in policy development and strategic planning.
• Promoting positive relationships between Council and the community.

For the full legal description of mayor and councillor responsibilities, see Queensland’s Local Government Act 2009.

Mayor and Councillors

Committees and Reference Groups

Councillors are appointed to represent Council on a number of committees and reference groups.

Councillor	Council Committees/Reference Groups	External Committees and Organisations
Cr George Seymour (Mayor)	Local Disaster Management Group - Chair Chief Executive Officer Performance Review Committee - Chair Sustainability and Environment Advisory Committee	Roads and Transport Alliance Wide Bay Burnett Regional Organisations of Councils (WBBROC) Wide Bay Burnett Regional Roads and Transport Group Regional Capital Australia Mary River Catchment Coordinating Committee Brisbane 2032 Host Mayors Advisory Group
Cr Michelle Byrne	Audit and Risk Committee Fraser Coast Inclusive Access Advisory Committee Hinkler Regional Deal Community Consultation Group Water and Waste Services Advisory Committee
Cr Phil Truscott	Chief Executive Officer Performance Review Committee	Chamber of Commerce (Tiaro) Tiaro and District Landcare Group
Cr Paul Truscott		Maryborough and District Committee on the Ageing
Cr Daniel Sanderson	Hinkler Regional Deal Community Consultation Group	Chamber of Commerce (Maryborough)
Cr Michelle Govers	Arts, Culture and Heritage Advisory Committee RADF - Regional Arts Development Fund Committee	Ted and Maud Mungomery Vine Forest Management Committee
Cr Lachlan Cosgrove	Chief Executive Officer Performance Review Committee Fraser Coast Events Advisory Committee	Fraser Coast Tourism and Events Ltd - Board Director
Cr John Weiland	Audit and Risk Committee Fraser Coast Inclusive Access Advisory Committee - Chair	St Stephen’s Hospital - Consumer Advisory Committee
Cr Denis Chapman	Traffic Advisory Committee Hinkler Regional Deal Community Consultation Group	Wide Bay Burnett Regional Roads and Transport Group Roads and Transport Alliance Wide Bay Burnett Regional Organisations of Councils (WBBROC)
Cr Sara Diana Faraj (Deputy Mayor)	Local Disaster Management Group Arts, Culture and Heritage Advisory Committee - Chair Fraser Coast Events Advisory Committee Regional Arts Development Fund Committee - Chair Chief Executive Officer Performance Review Committee	Chamber of Commerce (Hervey Bay)
Cr Zane O'Keefe	Environment and Sustainability Advisory Committee - Chair Wide Bay Burnett Resource Recovery Group - Chair Water and Waste Services Advisory Committee - Member

Complaints and Investigations

• Register of councillor complaints(PDF, 256KB)

Code of Conduct

• Code of Conduct for Councillors (PDF)

Councillors Discretionary Fund

• Discretionary Funds list for operational funds 2025/2026(PDF, 146KB)
• Discretionary Funds list for operational funds 2024/2025(PDF, 155KB)
• Discretionary Funds list for operational funds 2023/2024(PDF, 167KB)
• Discretionary Funds list for operational funds 2022/2023(PDF, 163KB)

For more information and previous years' lists of operational funds, visit the Councillors Discretionary Fund page.

Expenses Reimbursement and Provision of Facilities

The Expenses Reimbursement and Provision of Facilities for Mayor and Councillors Policy(PDF, 1MB) authorises the payment of reasonable expenses incurred by Councillors and outlines resources available to assist Councillors in their duties and responsibilities. These include:

Expenses - vehicle usage, conference registrations, accommodation, meals, travel expenses and telecommunications; and
Resources - administrative support staff, computer/iPad3, printer, modem and smartphone.

This policy applies to the Mayor, Deputy Mayor and Councillors and is made in accordance with Section 249 of the Local Government Regulation 2012.

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