Mayoral contest heats up

FORMER Isis Shire Mayor Bill Trevor is considering a run at the top job in Bundaberg at the April 28 election.

Mr Trevor (right), who gained an international profile for his leadership after the Palace Backpackers Hostel fire in Childers in 2000, stepped away from local politics four years ago when the four shires in the Bundaberg region were amalgamated.

Mr Trevor said yesterday he had been encouraged by many people wanting him to run for mayor.

"It's been unbelievable with the phone calls and people coming up to me in the street," he said.

Mr Trevor said it appeared a lot of people were looking for a change of direction in the community, and many of those urging him to run were businesspeople.

"I haven't made any final determination about it yet," he said.

"I will make a determination in the next few weeks after discussing it with my family."

Mayor Lorraine Pyefinch, who is planning to run for the office again, was reluctant to comment on a possible candidacy by Mr Trevor yesterday.

But she welcomed people standing in the interests of democracy.

"People, at the end of the day, will make a judgment on whether we've worked hard," she said.

If Mr Trevor does join the mayoral race, he will be the third candidate for the job.

Bargara house painter Scott Clark announced in December he would also run.

Mr Trevor was elected to the Isis Shire Council in 1985.

After serving as a councillor for nine years, he was elected mayor of the shire in 1994.

He served in that position until the amalgamation in 2008.

Nominations for the local government elections open on March 10 and are set to close at noon on March 27.