GC&M News will be running a series of ‘Meet the Candidate’ editorial features over a three week period leading up to the March 16 Sunshine Coast Council election.
Our aim is to provide a ‘level playing field’ platform to give all of our declared mayoral and divisional candidates running in the Sunshine Coast Council election the opportunity to present their pitch and provide responses to key issues raised by our Hinterland readers.
The series will be featured in both our print and online publications.
Each candidate has been approached and asked to provide a response of no more than 250 words.
Question to the candidates
Question 3
The Sunshine Coast Hinterland is known for its natural beauty. How do you plan to balance development with environmental conservation, and what is one measures will you implement to protect and preserve our local ecosystems and natural environment?
Question 4
Every division has its own set of challenges. What do you see as the most pressing issues in the Hinterland region, and what concrete steps will you take to address these challenges during your term?
Richard Bruinsma
Question 3:
The Sunshine Coast Council has strong environmental guidelines, which are vital if we are to maintain the amazing natural surrounds that we enjoy and should not take for granted.
It’s also important to recognise when the unanticipated consequences of those rules cause a negative impact on positive development, for example. We need development and re-development, but it needs to be sensible, acknowledging the environment as well as human need.
Of great value to council is the fact we have a very environmentally aware and conscious community that is prepared to fight on issues of concern.
We have seen that in the past, particularly in Maleny. I would like to see greater policing of laws intended to protect native wildlife. I have personally been involved in several Obi Obi Creek cleanups over the years, including Sunday, March 3, and planted trees in the Maleny Community Precinct and at Witta (as well as at Nambour and Woombye). I plan to continue being involved
in these sorts of initiatives.
I personally think a councillor should be a servant, play a physically active role in the community, and be prepared to get dirt under their fingernails. I will use my position as councillor to monitor issues of environmental concern, help council to deal with them diligently and wisely, and to speak out to generate a buzz and motivation among local people to do what they can to support the environment.
Question 4:
The most pressing issue is probably concern of council’s lack of recognition of the needs of Division 5. The people of the region genuinely feel forgotten. As I mentioned in a previous response, I hope to generate better awareness and empathy for the region by taking senior council decision makers and the mayor on a fact-finding familiarisation tour of the region, so they know personally the issues we’re dealing with. In a related concern, there’s the worry of increasing population growth and extra houses not being backed up with improved infrastructure and services – fixing this requires a committed and uniting voice in council. I’ve also noted somewhat of an ‘us and them’ attitude between the mountains and the valley – or ‘down in the swamp’ as one person described it to me. During my term, I plan to prove to anyone concerned about their corner of Division 5 being forgotten, that they have nothing to worry about. It’s my personal challenge to make sure every community, whether on the range or the plains, feels that they are well represented by me. I will be accessible to anyone who wants to chat or meet. Division 5 is the best division in the entire Sunshine Coast Council area, and I want my efforts to make it even better. We have a diversity of communities, a wide range of industry and business, we have rural and urban interests, pretty much every demographic of people living here, and we have beautiful natural surrounds. You’d be silly to want to live anywhere else!
Winston Johnston
Question 3:
The main ways council protects the environment in Division 5, are as follows:
1.Maintain clear town planning principals, which protect those areas outside the South East Queensland State Government Plan, by ensuring that all urban development occurs only within the dedicated urban corridor.
By doing this, rural areas are protected from development which is not complimentary to rural or agricultural land use.
2.Council has during the past four years purchased environmentally sensitive parcels of land at Kirbys Road, Curramore and Old Gympie Road South, below Mount Mellum.
In addition, koala sensitive areas are protected and, wherever possible, linking corridors to State and National Parks, as well as areas owned by council.
3.Council has purchased 65 hectares of valuable land north of and adjoining Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve. A master Plan has been developed and adopted, to develop a quality Ecological Park.
This will increase plant and fauna diversity and protect the existing park.
4.Native tree planting has happened at Maleny Precinct, along the banks of the Obi Obi Creek and additional planting has occurred at the intersection of Curramore and Maleny Kenilworth Roads.
5.Council has applied to designate a Dark Skies Precinct for the Mary River catchment and a Biosphere has been designated for the entire Sunshine Coast Region.
Question 4:
The most pressing issues within Division 5, are sealing gravel roads, weed control, development of a District Level Park at Maleny, preserving the rural environment, urban and rural footpaths, protecting scenic views and vistas, providing extra and or new park equipment, helping to develop additional sporting facilities such as basketball courts and higher quality skate park facilities, assisting with funding to reopen school pools at Mooloolah and Maleny as well as convincing council to construct a new 25 meter pool to replace the existing ageing pool.
Every pre budget review workshop and every infrastructure workshop, I constantly lobby for upgrades to infrastructure and the provision of additional infrastructure projects. On a regular basis I inspect every road, street, park, lookout and cemetery. By doing this I arrange for the little issues and defects to be attended to in a timely manner. This allows me to concentrate upon obtaining estimates and designs which can then be programmed for major capital works.
It may interest readers to know that individual councillors do not control the allocation of funds for capital works. The budget process is discussed with and voted upon by the full compliment of councillors. Therefore, it is vitally important that your division 5 councillor has and continues to have the respect of their fellow councillors and senior council officers. Failing to do this results in a loss of goodwill and the residents of the division suffer.
Tracy Burton
Question 3:
As our population continues to grow, the demand for housing grows with it. However, in this pursuit of development, we must not forget the importance of preserving our precious natural habitats and wetlands.
We must strike the right balance between development approvals and conservation of our environment. One of the key elements in achieving this balance is ensuring that there is no construction on floodplains. It is essential to understand that these areas are prone to flooding, and any development can have severe consequences for both humans and wildlife.
Furthermore, we need to incorporate strong climate change policy guidelines into our development approvals. With the increasing threat of climate change, it is our responsibility to ensure that all new developments are sustainable and resilient to future environmental challenges. This includes using flexible solutions that can adapt to changing weather patterns.
Moreover, I believe that every development must contain deep-planted trees at ground level. These trees not only add aesthetic value, but also provide numerous environmental benefits such as reducing carbon emissions, improving air quality, and mitigating the effects of urban heat islands. It is crucial to integrate green spaces into our developments to preserve our biodiversity.
We must find a balance between development and preservation. We must prioritise the protection of our environment while meeting the growing demand for housing.
Question 4:
As I have been conducting widespread community consultations across Division 5, one issue has repeatedly come up – the housing crisis on the Sunshine Coast. It breaks my heart to hear that people are struggling to afford rent or purchase a home in this beautiful area, resulting in many families being forced to leave. The situation is dire – families are being priced out and are struggling to find a safe and affordable place to call home. As a community, we need to take action and come up with solutions at the local council level.
One solution that I propose is banning short-term accommodation in inappropriate areas and buildings. Not only does this drive-up rental prices, but it also takes away potential long-term housing options for residents. We need to prioritize the needs of our community over profit.
Additionally, we must encourage the efficient use of empty buildings and blocks of land. These properties can be repurposed or developed into affordable housing options for those in need. We cannot afford to let valuable resources go to waste while our residents struggle to find a place to live.
Supporting small secondary dwellings and low-impact infill housing is another crucial step we can take to address the housing crisis. These options provide affordable and sustainable housing for our residents, without negatively impacting the existing community.
Furthermore, we must unlock land for non-profit housing projects. This will not only increase the availability of affordable homes but also create a sense of community and support for those in need. We cannot rely solely on the private market to solve the housing crisis.
Lastly, we must treat unhoused people with compassion. They are our fellow community members who have fallen on hard times and need our help. As a society, it is our responsibility to ensure that everyone has access to safe and secure housing.
Our actions today will shape the future of our beautiful region for generations to come.
