GIVEN the perception among some that local councils are being marginalised by centralist state governments and that councillors are being made redundant by increasingly powerful municipal bureaucrats, it might seem surprising that so many candidates are contesting the September local government elections.
Perhaps it represents some community dissatisfaction with the present standard of civic administration, or it may simply reflect a growing interest in grass-roots participatory democracy. Either way, if it signals a transfusion of enthusiastic new blood to the region's town and city halls then it can only be a good thing.
Across NSW a total of 4620 candidates have nominated, with 500 lodging their candidature in the three hours before yesterday's noon deadline.
More than 350 people are running for election to Hunter councils. Some of the region's councils will be among the state's most hotly contested, with Port Stephens attracting 78 candidates, Newcastle 64 and Maitland 57.
Some idea of the competition is seen in the fact that a number of wards in a number of councils are being contested by as many as five or six separate groups of candidates.
In Newcastle, nine-year lord mayoral veteran John Tate is seeking another four-year term, but faces a Melbourne Cup field of six competitors including 24-year-old socialist hip-hop musician Zane Alcorn, campaigning on a pro-skate park, anti-global warming platform.
In Lake Macquarie, Mayor Greg Piper is proposing to continue his dual role as mayor and state member, while the Liberal Party is going head to head with the ALP, the Greens and various independents in each of the city's three wards.
The Liberals have made much of their decision to campaign more strongly across the Hunter in these elections than previously, perhaps hoping to capitalise on the low ebb of the Labor Party's popularity at the state level. It will be interesting to see whether this strategy produces results for the conservative party in a traditionally Labor region.
None of the candidates should take anything for granted in the lead-up to the September 13 poll.
The only certainty is that campaigning for the plum positions will be vigorous, with each hopeful hunting for issues they can use to put their names and faces in front of the voting public.
Olympic great
EVERY Olympiad produces its own titans: athletes whose performances galvanise the world's attention and whose names become synonymous in Olympic history with the cities and years of their triumphs. In that sense, Beijing 2008 will always belong to Michael Phelps. The American swimming phenomenon yesterday earned his 11th career Olympic gold medal, more than anybody before him. Phelps has won five gold medals and set five world records in just four days. As if that breathtaking achievement were not enough, the world is willing him to win still more in the races that lie ahead of him. Given his power and ability, he will probably deliver.
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