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Vision

I will continue to:

• Give you full time representation

• Give you honest and direct information

• Work to make sure your lifestyle is protected

• Ensure you have a voice in Council.

I will fight for :

• A rejuvenation of Toondah Harbour that brings benefits, not costs

• Revitalisation of Cleveland CBD in line with residents wishes
  
  

• An approach to development that balances environmental, social and economic considerations

• A financially conservative approach to managing your money

• The revitalisation of Cleveland Showground

• A Council that is responsive to the needs of seniors and our youth

• A local economy that is based on 'clean and green' lifestyle, knowledge and tourism industries

• Improved local commitment against climate change

• Nurturing a creative and culturally strong community

• Providing a safe and secure community

• Maintaining an environmentally sustainable urban and human 'footprint'

• Building infrastructure (roads, parks, etc) that keeps up with local requirements

• Open, honest and accountable governance

• A Council that recognises North Stradbroke Island’s right to play a role in its own governance, and

• An Island community that gets its fair share of services and infrastructure.

   

Development

This election is all about development. It should be about other things. It should be about community and sporting fields and the environment...but it's not. I am proud to say that I have not taken any funds from developers to help fund my campaign. It is my money, with some minor help from friends.

I didn't accept developer donations in the last election either. That's why I have consistently stood up for you in opposing bad development. I see it as my job to stand up for you. I have done it for the last four years; I will do it again for the next four if I'm re-elected.

One thing that the Crime and Misconduct Commission inquiry into the Gold Coast City Council taught us is that ‘independent’ candidates promising 'sensible' and 'balanced' development are usually anything but those things, and likely to form pro-development voting blocs when in Council.

In this election there will be candidates with glossy brochures, full of meaningless phrases like 'sensible' and 'balanced'. And there will be some doing it from the heart, on a shoestring. My website is maintained by my brother, my brochure layouts are by my sister-in-law, pamphlet deliveries are by Mum and friends, the words are mine, and printing is done on a humble laser printer. I joke that it is the 'rusty photocopier, big heart and shoe leather' campaign. You get to know what I really stand for, and it guarantees that no one can call on me for a favour!

Development (Upwards)

Upward development in Cleveland, courtesy of the controversial 2006 Planning Scheme, is now an unavoidable reality. Many properties have been re-zoned to five or six storeys and, provided they conform to the Planning Scheme, now have legal rights attached to them. The cat is out of the bag! In some situations, like the two recent seven storey approvals, Council can refuse because the land is only zoned for five storeys. I give you my word that I will continue to oppose heights that are outside of the Planning Scheme.

Development (Outwards)

After the 2004 election, the majority of councillors voted to modify the Planning Scheme to include an extra 1000 hectares (3000 football fields) of farm and bushland for urban sprawl. This majority was called "the Seccombe Six" by many, a group of 'independents' who were of a surprisingly similar mindset when it came to their attitude towards development. They wanted to create more urban sprawl, but the State Government stopped them. Their actions provided windfall profits for developers who bought the land cheaply as farmland. Luckily, some of this rezoning is not set in concrete and can be stopped. We have another 50,000 people yet to come to live in teh Redlands before 2030. The challenge for the next planning scheme is to tweak it - not to allow more unwanted development and destruction of precious bushland.

Urban Spawl: the case against

In this election you are going to be told by various people that urban sprawl is 'sensible'. With koalas in decline, waterways getting an 'F' rating, Council struggling to provide infrastructure in existing areas, the State Government struggling to provide infrastructure, and declining open-space, I think it 'sensible' to take a breath before rushing headlong into more urban sprawl.

Urban Sprawl: the myths, the propaganda

MYTH: The SEQ Regional Plan/State Government made us do it: Nope, sorry, they didn't. At Council's urging, the State Government set an urban development growth boundary. This boundary is forever and Council must contain all development (universities, industry, sporting fields, housing etc) within it. Unfortunately, under the current Planning Scheme, we will use all the available land, mostly for housing, within the next 20 years. We are also setting ourselves to exceed the State Government housing targets.

MYTH: We need to release land for affordable housing: Affordable housing is a massive, nation wide supply/demand problem. With large amounts of upwards development and subdividing of blocks inevitably set to happen in existing areas, it is fair to say that we are doing our share to provide supply. Local Government Association Queensland President, Paul Bell, got it right when he said: "Rather than land release, other factors have driven prices up," and " our own research...finds that developers are holding back the blocks made available by Councils to maximise their returns."

MYTH: Farmers are entitled to their superannuation: When you retire do you expect to be able to upzone your property to make a windfall gain?

MYTH: You can't stop progress: Progress enhances our lifestyle, doesn't detract from it. Otherwise, it isn't progress.

MYTH: Our growth rate has declined: Lies, damned lies and statistics. As a percentage it has. But any sixth grader will tell you that 2% of a big number is a lot more than 20% of a small number.

MYTH: It's ok if there is a net-enhancement of vegetation: Urban sprawl isn't just about the loss of bush. It is a multi-layered infrastructure, transport, environmental, economic and social mistake.