General News
10 February, 2024
Well-known faces to stand for council
A FORMER councillor and a well-known community volunteer have increased the field in the race to get a seat in the chamber for Mareeba Shire at the March local government election.
Nipper Brown is well known for his involvement in the region for decades, serving six years as a councillor before losing a mayoral bid in 2020 by a slim margin to Mayor Angela Toppin.
Mladen Bosnic is also very well known in the Mareeba community for his involvement in numerous community volunteer enterprises and as the chair of the local Crimestoppers committee.
Mr Brown admits it has been “frustrating being sidelined for four years” due to his failed Mayoral run, but now is keen to get involved with the community at every level and embrace every opportunity to make the shire a better place to live.
“There is so much potential in this shire, especially in the events area – we do things like Field Days and Savannah so well but there’s much more potential,” he said.
It was Mr Brown who first had a vision for a major country music festival in Mareeba and worked hard to make it eventually happen in the form of Savannah in the Round which has gone from strength to strength since it was first held a few years ago.
“I think there’s scope for more such as a junior sports event, maybe the Savannah Games, which would bring a lot of people into the town,” he said.
He also wants to ensure the council have more of a connection with outlying communities who “don’t see councillors enough”.
For Mr Bosnic, this will be the second time he has run for council, faring well in the 2020 election but missing out on making the top six.
“As a lychee farmer in Mareeba, I have great interest in the sustainability of agriculture in our region, aware of the challenges facing the industry such as access to market, fair gate price for produce, employment, transport and other infrastructure limitations and water security for an expanding horticulture sector,” he said.
“Always results driven, I am an attentive listener with a vested interest in creating a safe, prosperous and harmonious region in which to live and work.”
Describing himself as a “man on a mission” and a catch cry of “Choice for your Voice in Mareeba Shire”, Mr Bosnic has demonstrated his passion for community safety – something that has been part of his life for decades.
He served in the Army Reserve 51st Battalion for seven years before joining the Australian Federal Police in 1982 where he remained for 34 years enjoying a challenging career as an investigator in Darwin, Canberra and Cairns.
“Since June 2022, I have been involved in numerous community volunteer enterprises and sporting clubs, and work casually with Queensland Corrective Services as a surveillance officer supervising individuals sentenced to community service orders,” he said.
He is also the chairperson of the very active Far Northern Volunteer Area Committee of Crime Stoppers.
The local government election will be held on Saturday 16 March.
