AT LAST, it seems the phoney war is over and we can get down to the business of watching what should prove one of most of the most interesting local elections seen in Shoalhaven for years.

Already, it’s providing this newspaper with interesting stories and some light-hearted moments.

We were delighted to hear yesterday of an encounter between Garry Payne, the director general of the Department of Local Government, and Dennis Argall, one of the mayoral candidates.

Mr Argall, who has been out and about being seen all over the Shoalhaven, approached Mr Payne with one of his election brochures, blissfully unaware he was spruiking to one of local government’s most senior powerbrokers, who doesn’t reside here.

Like Mr Argall, Mayor Watson has also been busy on his feet lately, yesterday finding himself in the vicinity of Gareth Ward’s meet-and-greet session with his crop of new candidates.

No doubt he, like the rest of us, is curious to know whether Councillor Ward will make a tilt at the top job. And in that regard, Cr Ward is still displaying the coyness of an abashed schoolgirl.

We have some weeks to run in the campaign and we look forward to reasoned debate and policies. And we certainly hope we see the candidates focus on the issues and avoid the nastiness and name-calling that has too often characterised the conduct of this current council.