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At the 3rd Redlands Rates Reform meeting

No High Rise

Some of the developments that are proposed for the Cleveland Town Centre are just plain wrong. Tall buildings on the northern side of a east-west street are a planning mistake. Likewise, tall buildings next to heritage houses are a mistake. Any building for the town centre must blend with it's surrounds and contribute, not detract, from the character of the town.

The real worry though is that the Shire Planning Scheme due out in the next couple of months is rumoured to be even more permissive. If some of the rumours are to prove true then this will be a massive failure of local leadership. This planning scheme has been in development for three years. Our representatives have done a very poor job, until now, of keeping us informed of the changes. Six months before an election, and after the scheme has been approved by State Government, is too late !!! Residents have a right to be angry !!

Rates Reform

If you live in Cleveland, it is highly likely that you are paying more than your fair share of rates. In our shire, 7% of ratepayers pay 24% of the rates: you could well be among that 7%. We in Division 2 pay far more on a per property basis than any other Division in the shire. That is why I started, with George Harris, the Redland's Rates Reform Group which successfully lobbied for changes to the rates system. Recent changes have made the system fairer. But the Council should go even further and use the system we lobbied for and make it fairer.

Also Council can do more to help pensioners and others cope with huge rates. No one should ever be rated out of his or her home. We can ensure this through:
a) a 'lien' system that allows pensioners to postpone their rate payments until eventual sale of the property, and
b) by raising the Council contribution to Pensioners' Concessions on General Rates.

If you would like a copy of the many letters, submissions or speeches I have made on this issue then please contact me.

Council Electoral Reform

Our interests and concerns are not always properly represented in the current Divisional system.

The Divisional system of electing Councillors has outlived its usefulness: you elect only two councillors out of eleven, so nine do not need to listen to you. And they don't. Scrapping the Divisional system will mean that all Councillors will be required to represent you, and there will be less chance of being lumbered with a dud candidate because of lack of local opposition.

A reformed Council could also mean a reduced number of Councillors (and their associated expenses).

Proper community consultation is necessary so that the community can be satisfied that a reformed Council will be representative, accountable and democratic.

I would like to see some of the money saved put into supporting an appropriate community representation body on North Stradbroke Island. Islanders need a better, more direct say in island administration.

If you would like a copy of a published letter to the editor I wrote on this issue then please contact me.

Thankyou BBQ for Firefighters - organised when president of NSICA

Environment Care

In the Redlands we have an exceptionally beautiful environment. I am a guide for the Moreton Bay area and so I really understand the importance of our environment. It is a great natural, recreational, cultural and economic resource. I am a strong believer that our environment has to be at the forefront of our thinking as we plan for the future.

I will fight for the environment against other interests whenever it becomes necessary. In the last couple of years, I have fought against the proposal for a fish farm south-west of Tangalooma Point, because it was too risky a venture for the Bay.

If you would like a copy of the letters or submissions I made on this issue then please contact me.

Improved Community Consultation

The Council asks for your opinion and then does something else. Know the feeling?

Your local representative represents Council policy to you, not your views to the Council. Know the feeling?

I love being a part of this community and I believe in its collective wisdom and its potential. I intend if elected to put the community back into 'community consultation'. And I also intend to put the community back into 'community representative'.

I have worked in this community for many years. I have lived or owned on Stradbroke Island since 1988 and my family has connections there dating to the 1930s. My parents and my brother's family live there now, and I live in the heart of Division 2 in Cleveland.

As the President of the North Stradbroke Island Community Association, I have represented community views on a range of issues. I am also a volunteer presenter on local community radio BAY-FM, interviewing people as diverse as Simon Baltais, Mayor Seccombe, Rod Carter, Ernie Harrison, John Mason, Susan Russell, and also listening to different viewpoints on many issues.

You can hear my program on Bay-FM 100.3 on Mondays between 12 and 2pm.

End to Council Extravagance

When we lobbied the Council for rates reform, it was obvious that a reduction in spending could lead to reductions in rates. Council seems to have forgotten that the money it spends does not grow on trees but comes out of our pockets. My view is that a dollar saved is a dollar that you and I don't have to find in our pockets.

It makes me angry to see the waste of this Council, and I assure you that I will do what I can to eliminate it.

Economic Growth

The right kind of growth equals good jobs, good lifestyle opportunities and good health and wellbeing for us all, without destroying the environment.

We need to attract green industry and knowledge economy jobs.

We have many economic growth opportunities and also many competitive advantages to successfully drive them. Clearly we have opportunities in tourism and marine industry. Also, we are able to leverage off our fantastic lifestyle and close proximity to Brisbane city to attract technology industry to our area.

We need to provide appropriate land for light and heavy-impact industrial uses, and ensure that this land use is not incompatible with other uses in the area. And we need appropriate transport options for local industry.

I have owned and run businesses and I have a pro-business attitude. Small business is the backbone of our local economy and the key to future prosperity. I support some recent initiatives of Council in this area. If elected, I will work co-operatively with local business to deliver on the conditions they need to succeed and prosper.

Tourism

Tourism is a major future growth engine. A sustainable tourism industry can bring huge benefits to all of us. Sustainable tourism must meet the triple bottom line: good for the economy, good for the community, and good for the environment. Education tourism and eco-tourism chime in with our local values and will bring benefits, not costs, to our communities. This tourism capitalises on our special competitive advantage - our beautiful environment.

For many years I have worked in tourism, and I've seen it done well and also badly. I have seen communities crushed by tourism, and also communities that benefit and flourish. Having worked in every kind of tourism model and seen the industry from every angle, I think I know what will work here.

Heritage Protection

Unless we act quickly, we are going to lose a lot of the things that make Redlands unique: our heritage.

We have a fantastic wealth of indigenous and non-indigenous history. It is important that we do our best to maintain this legacy from our past. It helps give us a sense of who we are and where we come from.

ANZAC Day, Sydney, with 'Pop' and brother

We should put in place development controls that prevent either the outright destruction or the whittling away of our heritage. The Redland Heritage Study 1999 made some progress in identifying areas of importance. It is now up to us to make the decisions and frame the right policy to protect these areas.

Recently our Council voted against a mandatory heritage register of private property. Amazingly, though, some even voted against a voluntary register!

By working with property owners, we can preserve the local character and the precious links to the past - as well as enhancing property values.

If elected, you can trust that I will do my best to preserve our heritage.

Development Footprint and Demographic Trends

Many people want to join us living in this area.

On current demographic trends, the population will increase by 46% by 2016.

A challenge that the Council must now contemplate is how to juggle the demands of an increasing population with development control planning and the environment.

We need to be conscious of this growth and make sure we stay one step ahead with our infrastructure planning.

I come with no preconceived or fixed views about the controversial question of increasing the development footprint in the shire. I am open-minded. I believe the twin objectives can be achieved of increasing the footprint and protecting - or even enhancing - the environment. But the devil will be in the detail. I won't commit to supporting an increase in the development footprint until I am satisfied that our environment will not suffer.

Sensible Residential Development

Currently 80% of local residential development is detached dwelling style. This is part of the character of our community and lifestyle. But we also need areas of increased residential density to accommodate future population growth. Unless we find appropriate forms of medium-density housing, the pressure on our precious environment will increase.

We need to stop the urban sprawl.

Well-designed housing harmonises with the local built character and enhances our special local sense of place. It answers strategic transport planning by being located near transport hubs and encouraging less car use. It adds to rather than detracts from people's quality of life and our sense of community. And its construction does not mean the destruction of wilderness and wildlife areas.

Vibrant Cleveland Town Centre

The town centre is important to us. Not just because it is a place for shopping but also because it serves our administration, services, cultural, entertainment and social needs. A vital town centre attracts people, businesses, events and life.

We need to protect the character of the township and encourage diverse business growth in the town. We also need to make it easy to drive into and to park, and make it easy to move around by public transport. The township can evolve into more than a retail and commercial centre and become the hub of our lives.

Transport

The way we move around our area is a critical issue for any Council.

Vehicle transport is 70% of our travel in the area. This tells us that it is our transport mode of choice and that we need to cater for that. It also tells us that we need to work on making the bus, train, cycle, walking, taxi and ferry options more attractive.

We need to:
- Encourage car pooling and ride sharing.
- Ensure public transport nodes and services are user friendly.
- Promote urban design that has inter-connected road networks.

I support the Integrated Local Transport Plan. This is a fairly comprehensive document that should provide a good guide to our Council Officers in future planning.

Physical Infrastructure

Council has an important role in maintaining and developing sewerage, water, stormwater management, waste, electricity and gas, and telecommunications, infrastructure.

Water: we need to ensure that our water supply is safe, reliable and drawn in an environmentally sustainable way.

Stormwater Management: we need to manage our runoff to ensure that there are no down the line problems for our environment.

Waste Management: we need to encourage waste minimisation and recycling.

Sewerage: we need to use environmentally friendly and advanced technologies where possible.

Telecommunications; we need to ensure appropriate siting and design of telecommunications infrastructure.

Energy: we need to protect our current systems and extend our distribution and reticulation.

Environmental Management

We are blessed to live in a truly beautiful and unique part of the world. We must look after it.

We need to make sure that we promote and protect bio-diversity. We need to look after the quality of our wetlands. We also need to be mindful of our air and acoustic environment.

There are a number of internal Council policies and State Government legislative requirements that will guide future decision making in this area. You have my assurance that I will do what I can to see that our environmental management delivers.