SMALL businesswoman Nyree Johnson is the latest person to announce their candidacy in the increasingly crowded race to be Rockhampton’s next mayor.

Mrs Johnson will have her work cut out winning the election against Councillors Tony Williams and Donna Kirkland, as well as Chris “Pineapple” Hooper and Chris Davies.

Acting mayor Neil Fisher and former One Nation candidate Torin O’Brien have ruled themselves out this week.

Mrs Johnson has a diverse resume featuring occuptions including small business owner, writer, ambassador, Scout leader and workforce analyst in the energy sector.

She grew up in Rockhampton and spent time in Longreach and Brisbane as a teenager and young adult before moving home to Rockhampton in 2010 - spending a total of 25 years in the city.

She currently lives in Frenchville with her husband, Nathan Johnson, and their three young children, Madison (13), Alan (11) and Sara (6).

Mrs Johnson loves supporting her community as well as local charity groups.

A passionate advocate for volunteering, you’ll find her helping wherever she can to support a cause, especially a Central Queensland local one.

She was excited about representing her hometown and working across the community to build a brighter future for Rockhampton.

With a strong strategy, vision and operational business planning skills, the election candidate is passional about creating growth by forging collaborative and respectful relationships.

“I love Rockhampton and I’ll be a strong voice for our region. Some of my priorities include stable leadership, greater community engagement, service delivery improvements and better spending on community facilities,” Mrs Johnson said.

Mrs Johnson said community projects including sporting infrastructure, improved cultural

amenities and town centre rejuvenation would be her key priorities.

“We need to continue to invest in Rockhampton’s future – our sports fields, parks, gardens and community infrastructure are key to making our region one of the best places to live in

Queensland,” she said.

“Being a leader is about listening – listening to the community, listening to businesspeople, listening to experts and listening to my fellow councillors. I’ll be someone who consults widely, is accessible and out on the front foot to get things done.

“A suite of policies and commitments will be released in the lead-up to the election.”

Mrs Johnson said it was important electors got the full picture.

“I’m someone who wants to be a transparent, proactive leader,” she said.

“Therefore, I’ll be releasing a series of policies on portfolio areas prior to the pre-poll voting opening. I call on all other candidates to do the same.”

She paid tribute to the legacy of former Mayor Margaret Strelow.

“Margaret has shaped Rockhampton’s development over the past few decades,” she said.

“I want to build on Margaret’s legacy of major projects, modernising our region and strong advocacy.

“I’m someone who’s nominating to get things done and to build a better future for Rockhampton.”

The Electoral Commission of Queensland is expected to announce the date for the by-election soon.

To find out more about Nyree Johnson’s background and plans for Rockhampton, visit here.