Keeping perspective - By Cr Namarca Corowa

One thing I’ve been reflecting on lately is how easy it is for all of us, myself included, to look at ideas for Mackay and think, that would be great to have here.

And honestly, many of them would be.

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People want things for our region because they care about this place. Whether it’s major events, new facilities, upgraded infrastructure, beautification projects or tourism ideas, most suggestions come from a genuine desire to see Mackay continue growing and improving.

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But one of the biggest things I’ve learned sitting at the council table is that wanting something and responsibly delivering it are two very different things.

Another important part of this role is learning perspective, not just pushing my own perception. Every decision carries a cost and a consequence. Not only the cost to build something, but the long-term cost to maintain, operate, repair and sustain it into the future. Those costs are ultimately carried by the community and the ratepayer. That’s perspective.

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Everyone knows the cost of living has increased, but what many people may not realise is how unpredictable the broader economic and geopolitical landscape has become. Global instability, supply chain pressures, fuel prices, inflation and shifting economic conditions all flow downstream into local government in different ways. Councils don’t operate separate from those pressures. We feel them too.

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That’s why local government has to think beyond announcements and individual ideas. Council has to weigh budgets, legislation, priorities, operational realities and long-term sustainability all at once. Sometimes leadership means asking not only, “would this be good to have?” but also, “is this realistic, achievable and responsible in the long run?”

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I think people deserve honesty about that.

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One important thing I’ve also learned is that the role of a councillor is strategic, not operational. Under local government legislation, councillors help set the strategic direction of council, represent the community and provide oversight and accountability. The operational side, the day-to-day management and administration, sits with the Chief Executive Officer and council staff.

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That doesn’t mean councillors shouldn’t understand how things work. We need to understand projects, systems and community impacts to make informed decisions and remain strategically relevant. But there is a difference between understanding operations and interfering in them.

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It’s also important to understand that councillors are not always privy to every detail at every stage. Some matters are legally confidential, commercial-in-confidence or subject to contracts and negotiations that restrict what can be publicly discussed at certain times. That can understandably frustrate people wanting immediate answers, but those protections exist for important reasons.

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I also don’t claim to know everything. This is my first term on council, and there are councillors and mayors with several terms and decades more experience and understanding than I have. I respect that. Part of leadership is being willing to learn, ask questions and continue growing into the responsibility of the role.

What keeps me grounded is remembering the people behind the reports and agenda items. Financial decisions affect households already managing rising costs. Infrastructure decisions shape what future generations inherit.

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Growing up in a working-class family taught me that most people value practicality, honesty and common sense. They understand that sometimes you can want something while also recognising the need to approach it responsibly.

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That’s not negativity. That’s stewardship.

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For me, this role has never been about headlines or monuments. It’s about contributing to meaningful and reasonably achievable outcomes that genuinely benefit our region over time.

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