If elected, these are some of my beliefs that I will be encouraging at Council -
Sport
Sport has often been described as the social glue that keeps communities together. It is a key contributor in building strong communities, where members shape their behaviour, learn cooperation and collaboration, work together to sustain resources in their clubs and be inclusive of cultures and disabilities.
Many skills such as leadership, volunteering, hard work and perseverance developed in team sport are then applied to all areas of ones life and in the community.
I believe it is important for the Toowoomba Regional Council to support the many sporting clubs in our region which enhance our communities, our children and adults alike and bring our families together.
This support doesn’t have to always be direct financial support – it can be as simple as assisting processing applications or moving dirt. There would be enormous benefit to our communities if Council could assist clubs with adequate sporting facilities who want to host major events.
Community Engagement
I would like to see Toowoomba Regional Council implement Community Committees in almost every town or village in the Region to assist council in the management of community facilities and make recommendations to council regarding their local needs. The members would serve voluntarily and could either be nominated by the community or be elected every 4 years by postal vote of locality residents.
This structure would be designed to increase communication between Council and its constituents. The community groups would be advisory and advocacy bodies only. Council would retain ultimate decision-making responsibility.
Community Committees would keep residents informed about what is going on in the region and their neighbourhood. Committees could produce regular newsletters that highlight important accomplishments and milestones. These newsletters would become a valuable tool for members of the community to stay informed about what is happening locally.
Having visited quite a number of the outlying towns in our Council area I believe that a system along these lines would be valuable in ensuring that services continue to be provided to all communities in the region and I will be enthusiastically encouraging Council to implement such an idea – giving heart back to the regions.
Building Development
The current slump in the Toowoomba region building industry needs to be spiked and injected with enthusiasm by Council through faster processing of development applications. Toowoomba Regional Council currently has a reputation for stifling development and this needs a sharp turn around to ensure ongoing growth.
Airport Development
It would appear that there is great opportunity and, importantly, a need for development of the land mass on the southern end of the Toowoomba Airport. With businesses growing their fleet to sustain growth in mining and other industries, there is an appetite for suitable hangar and maintenance facilities which would give Toowoomba’s economy a healthy boost, particularly following the recent massive investment in extending the strip and I would be encouraging Council to get behind these opportunities.
Shop Local
I believe it is imperative for the business of Council to shop locally in all instances where possible to assist in sustaining our own communities.
Dump closures
A newly introduced industry waste levy forced on Councils and to be paid to the State Government in relation to commercial, industrial, construction, demolition and regulated wastes delivered to a waste disposal facility has impacted on all Queensland Councils.
As a result new waste disposal fees and charges now apply at nominated Toowoomba region waste facilities in line with Queensland Government legislation from December 1.
Uniform gate fees for residential and commercial operators have been introduced to offset operating costs. Sites covered by these new charges include:
Toowoomba Waste Management Centre, Bedford St; Jondaryan Waste Management Centre; Kleinton, Kleinton School Road; Greenmount, Faulkner Road; Charlton, Leeson Road; Goombungee, Centenary Road; Millmerran, Owens Scrub Road; Pittsworth, Tip Road (Old Gore Highway); Yarraman, D’Aguilar Highway; Oakey Transfer Station; Evergreen, Daffodil Street; Crows Nest, South Street; Clifton, Logan Road.
All other Toowoomba region waste facilities will now be restricted to residential domestic waste only.
It is important that we aren’t left with the scenario of people dumping waste on the side of the road because it is just too difficult or expensive to use our dumps.
Details on new charges are available here.
If you have any helpful suggestions about improving the newly introduced levies and/or restrictions to dump access in your area, I would really like to hear from you.
Fitness & Safety
I would like to see improved linking of walking paths so members of our community don’t have to walk or run on the road during their exercise regime.
Cleaner drains
My personal consideration is that if we slow down planting of deciduous trees, which drop leaves every autumn, it would reduce some of the drainage issues during heavy downpours of rain. There are plenty of pretty non deciduous trees which could be planted in our garden city ensuring we retain our reputation as the garden city. Regular maintenance of storm drains should be a priority, reducing localised flooding.
Parks & Gardens
Toowoomba relies on its parks and gardens for recreation and tourism. The Toowoomba Regional Council does a great job in maintaining and servicing these parks, providing clean barbeque facilities and playground equipment which residents enjoy using. We need to ensure that during good rain seasons we are able to keep up with garden and gutter maintenance.
Other levels of Government
Given the opportunity to be an elected representative on Council, I would be encouraging our Council to lobby the State and Federal Government on issues which impact our Toowoomba Regional Council area – a few examples are listed below.
State Government issues
Encouraging Development
With the building industry needing a boost in our area I would be encouraging simple incentives such as – Removal of stamp duty on home sales, which was supposed to be removed with the introduction of the GST in July 2000 – instead of having incentives such as the $10,000 Queensland Government Building Boost Grant which the Govt introduced to buy or build a new home in Queensland from 1 August 2011 to 31 January 2012, replace these grants with a permanent incentive – no stamp duty on purchase of land to build a home on – no means test.
Safe Communities
Working with the State Government to reduce crime and protect the vulnerable – whether they be elderly, in business or otherwise.
Federal Government issues
Second Range Crossing
There is no doubt that the solution to funding the Toowoomba Bypass will be around a private public partnership (PPP) and a toll. I am frustrated that the Federal Government continues to refuse to begin negotiations with the State Government to announce opportunity for the big end of business to get involved in making this happen. When trucks have to travel through 16 traffic lights to cover 25 kms from Charlton to Postman’s Ridge and it costs over $95 per hour to run a B-double, it’s not rocket science to realise that a reasonably significant toll could be put in place and still save money for trucking companies. I travelled this route behind an empty B-double one day just to experience a truckies trip through Toowoomba and down the range. It took 40 minutes and of course, much longer if the truck is loaded or you catch the red lights.
Nursing Homes
Identifying ways to encourage staff to work in our nursing homes. Our elderly need nurturing by competent caring staff in their twilight years. We need to recognise the good work currently being done by so many but also enhance their working environment to ensure they enjoy their work and to encourage others to take this career path.
Carbon Tax
To use a basic example of how this controversial tax will be used, it has been said that a bottle of beer made in Australia will be taxed but a bottle of beer made elsewhere and consumed in Australia will not – Crownie (taxed) versus Corona (not taxed). Encouraging business onshore or offshore? It’s not rocket science that Australian businesses will be impacted by this tax and many will send their manufacturing offshore – once again slapping another nail in the coffin of Australian employment, businesses and importantly, further reduction in self sustainability. A tax – which WILL be passed on to consumers – increasing Australians cost of living without necessarily reducing our minute overall carbon output – doesn’t make any sense to me.