Monday 31 March 2008

Toadbusters man wins........or at least it seems so

Elections in Darwin have come and gone last Saturday March 29, and it seems as if the Toadbusters man, Graeme Sawyer, might be the new Lord Mayor of Darwin.

A bit too soon to be sure, due to the complexities of sorting out the numbers in the preferential voting system used in Australia, but with about 38% of the primary vote counted, in a large field of candidates, I would guess he has a very good chance.



It is a bit unfair to just categorise him as only involved as a "toadbuster" as he has excellent credentials in IT and business, the areas in which he is nominally gainfully employed. But the toadbuster program has been a very well organised and successfully operated program to reduce, slow or even eliminate the dreaded, ugly and pernicious cane toad from the Darwin area. It has even extended to try and slow or prevent the spread into the NW of Western Australia. Cane toads damage a lot of native wildlife, both large and small, even crocodiles! They have a poisonous gland that has a poison that can kill animals that ingest them, and they also eat / kill other wildlife.

But it has to be a new start for the City Council, as the previous Lord Mayor is now doing time in jail for misappropriating council funds.

As for the local ward around our area, it is very unclear yet. Three to be elected out of nine candidates, and still too close to even guess who they might be.

Some wags might even say..........who cares?

Update............from 7 May 2008

It is official.........Graeme Sawyer is the new Lord Mayor of Darwin

1 comment:

Lynda said...

I can remember reading a report several years ago about the damage the cane toads will do to Kakadu National Park when they reach... if they are in Darwin, does this mean they are already there?