It’s one of these perennial local government election arguments: to ‘flute or not to ‘flute.

That is the question.

In other words, should prospective candidates use corflutes on the roadsides for self-promotion?

Or are they a waste of time, a waste of expensive landfill space, not to mention a waste of money, along with letterbox flyers?

Maybe they’re more popular with the more photogenic candidates, who are after the disengaged voter driving past a bunch of them, picking one they ‘like’ on the way to the polling booth.

There are at least two candidates who won’t be using them this election, except at the booths themselves. One’s an experienced incumbent, the other a hopeful newbie. And they are both rejecting the corflutes for the same reasons.

Councillor Joe Jurisevic, who has been elected three times since 2014, was a former waste campaigner in Noosa anyway.

And while he did hand out flyers on his first campaign, he’s been “flyer-free” since, and never used corflutes except at the polling booth.

“I live in hope that people do their homework and have some confidence in candidates rather than just a face they’re driving past,” Cr Jurisevic said. 

“And it’s a lack of respect to the community with them, where [the corflutes] are put, with many put up illegally.”

He said corflutes were not generally recyclable and just took up valuable landfill space after use.

“[Prior to council] I was a waste campaigner for a long time. Then I was getting calls at home from people who saw me involved with campaigns, seeing the profile, so people associated me with regard to waste in council matters, asking me to run [for council].

“I believe I’ve shown you don’t need to generate all this to get elected. If that’s what it takes to get elected, I think we’re looking at it altogether wrongly.”

And flyers have a short life, he said.

“Seeing a flyer that lasts 30 seconds before it goes into a bin seems a waste, so it was a personal thing for me to undertake and ensure I don’t generate waste,” Cr Jurisevic said.

Cr Jurisevic also said the corflutes are a driver distraction, which is why they are not allowed to be placed on council roads, and especially roundabouts “where drivers have enough to contend with”.

Corflutes are only allowed to be displayed on private properties and set well back on state road reserves.

Likewise, aspiring councillor candidate Fiona Jacobs, will not be using corflutes or flyers, except for some homemade recyclable corflutes at the booths.

Do they work? 

“I don’t think so,” Ms Jacobs said. 

“I feel the same about letter box pamphlets; they’re high pollution, and land pollution.

“I could be wrong, but I’ve chosen not to either drop flyers and chosen not to use corflutes.

“I will be using how-to-vote cards, and use some recyclable signs at booths to attract attention.”

Ms Jacobs said she had already seen some corflutes “floating around already”, despite being illegal prior to the candidates’ official declarations on February 13. 

“And there’s a few A-frame signs out – they’re not allowed in Noosa either,” she said.

Disclosure: your correspondent reluctantly ran for council last time – and used both flyers and corflutes (to no discernable outcome).