User:Remarka6le
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About me
[edit]Hi there! I’m Remarka6le. While this account has been around for a while, it wasn’t until 2025 that I properly jumped in to learn the ropes and begin contributing meaningfully to the encyclopaedia.
My focus is on improving coverage of the List of mayors of Ipswich, Queensland and other significant political figures from the city’s past and present. Ipswich is one of Australia’s most historically important and fastest-growing cities — yet, until recently, you’d find more information on the Wikipedia page for a minor British hamlet than on the individuals currently running one of Queensland’s major councils. I’m here to help change that.
What I’ve been working on
[edit]- Andrew Antoniolli (It’s up… for now)
- Expansion of the full List of mayors of Ipswich, Queensland, including entries for Paul Pisasale and Teresa Harding
- Coverage of long-serving or significant councillors such as Paul Tully
- Notable events, controversies, and localities shaping the Ipswich region
On the Deletion Discussion for Teresa Harding
[edit]I came to Wikipedia in good faith to contribute to a more comprehensive historical and political record of Ipswich City Council — a region of major relevance as Queensland’s sixth-largest local government area. A key part of this effort involved creating and improving entries on notable officeholders who have shaped the city’s governance, such as Mayor Teresa Harding. 12 hours after creating the article, it was put up for AfD without consultation.
The assertion that Harding is not notable is, with respect, an opinion — not a settled fact — and one that I’ve consistently contested during the deletion discussion. Harding is the first female mayor in Ipswich’s history, elected in the wake of one of Queensland’s most high-profile local government corruption scandals. Since taking office, she has led nationally recognised reform initiatives, including the launch of Australia’s first Transparency and Integrity Hub — the first of its kind by any Australian council.
It’s also important to consider precedent: mayors from each of Queensland’s largest LGAs already have standalone articles, many of which are significantly shorter, less sourced, and in some cases comprised largely of routine electoral data:
- Adrian Schrinner – Brisbane (1st)
- Tom Tate – Gold Coast (2nd)
- Peter Flannery (politician) – Moreton Bay (3rd)
- Darren Power – Logan (4th, former)
- Rosanna Natoli – Sunshine Coast (5th)
- Teresa Harding – Ipswich (6th, under discussion)
- Troy Thompson (politician) – Townsville (7th)
- Geoff McDonald (mayor) – Toowoomba (8th)
- Bob Manning (mayor) – Cairns (9th)
If the standard applied to Harding is not being applied to these others — including Peter Flannery (politician), whose article has remained since 2020 with comparatively minimal sourcing — then I believe it raises valid concerns about consistency. Hell, Geoff McDonald (mayor) has 3 sources, #2 directs to an error page, and #3 is named the exact same as #2 was.
I could raise deletion discussions for the others to make a point — and quite frankly, such a move might be justifiable based on the arguments used here — but doing so would seem retaliatory (and, in truth, would be). That’s not why I’m here. I believe Harding’s historic election and reform agenda meet Wikipedia’s notability guidelines. But what would I know -_-.
The Future
[edit]Following recent discussions, a more experienced editor kindly reached out and offered to help me better understand what they described as the “political landscape of Wikipedia.” I’ll continue contributing where I can — particularly on topics relating to Ipswich and local governance — but this experience has been eye-opening.
If nothing else, it’s made clear that despite Wikipedia’s best efforts to maintain neutrality, egos and editorial dynamics still influence what stays, what goes, and how things are judged. That’s not a criticism of any one person, but a broader observation about how community consensus operates — and how subjective it can sometimes be.
I remain committed to good-faith contributions and hope to keep learning as I go.
Cheers, Remarka6le