Key Policies
WHAT I STAND FOR
It is the people who live here and invest their time and resources into this region who should be first served by decisions governing our future.
THE PROPOSED BYPASS
TUNNELS v CUTTINGS
I believe tunnels, a very low road surface and viaducts are the very least Coffs Harbour should accept for the proposed bypass. The proposal is incomplete in its current form and there are many issues yet to be resolved.
NOISE AND VISUAL POLLUTION
I am greatly concerned that noise and visual pollution will have a negative impact on the lives of residents living in all areas along the proposed route of the Coffs Harbour bypass. I believe the proposed 110km motorway will have a detrimental impact on the amenity of those living in Nth Boambee Valley, Coffs Harbour, Korora, and Korora Basin.
DEGRADATION OF PRIME RESIDENTIAL, AGRICULTURAL AND TOURISM BASED AMENITY
I am concerned this freeway will have a negative impact on land values, productive agricultural land and tourism. In particular, in west and nth west Coffs Harbour, Korora, Korora Basin and the Nth Boambee Valley.
INTERCHANGES
The size and final design of interchanges at Coramba Road and Bruxner Park Road have not been finalised. These interchanges have received little attention and will have a major impact on the amenity of these areas.
IMPACT ON LOCAL TRAFFIC FLOWS.
I do not believe the bypass proposal will afford the residents of Coffs Harbour the relief from congestion which they are hoping for on our local roads. I believe we are paying a very high price to reduce the congestion along Pacific Highway by approximately 8% over a 24 hour period some of which would travel through the city overnight.
WESTERN BYPASS
I have and always will be a proponent for a western bypass. I believe the possibility of a true bypass should not be discounted. If there was the will from the local community for this I would be behind it 100%.
I am concerned in the long term the proposed bypass will have a negative impact on the appeal of Coffs Harbour to both residents, prospective residents and tourism.
The beauty and liveability of our environment is one of our greatest assets and needs to be protected. This bypass will be a short term gain for long term loss.
It is the people who live here who invest their time and resources in this region who should be first served by the design of this freeway.
GOVERNANCE
BUSINESS
The growing influence of business on our governments at all levels is of great concern. We need our government representatives to speak and act for the benefit of community as a whole and to address the wellbeing of citizens first in all decision making proposals.
LAND USE
The failure of the Murry Darling Basin Authority to protect our river systems and the failure of government to protect agricultural land from unsafe mining practices is indicative of the misplaced focus on corporate profit over the wellbeing of community. The protection of these vital assets must be addressed as a matter of urgency.
POLITICS
The adversarial manner in which our political leaders attend to the business of governing is not only a waste of time it undermines the very fabric of our society.
The community has lost faith and trust in its leaders whose behaviour is not only demeaning of themselves but reflects a total lack of respect for the poulation of this country.
I believe people have our mutual wellbeing at heart and our leaders are completely out of touch with us.
We need to see a complete change in our political culture. Politicians are not employed to be self serving they are employed to serve the people.
DEMOCRACY
I believe we must return to the basic principle of western democracy “Government of the people by the people for the people”.
FREEDOM OF SPEECH
I believe in the right of people to speak freely about the issues that impact their lives and to be heard. Our right to freedom of speech has been eroded and we must return to a society that can address freely matters of concern without fear of retribution either legally or socially.
EDUCATION
I believe we need to rebuild our education system by restoring funding to the public school system and to TAFE and universities to ensure teachers and students have the resources they need to achieve the best possible outcome for all.
A recent study by the Productivity Commission found that funding for students in public education had fallen to one third the funding made available to students in the private education system.
By returning schools to the status of social benefit rather than business enterprise we will assign it to its rightful place in our society
FORESHORE DEVELOPMENT
COMMERCIAL /RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT
There seems to be a major disconnect between the State governments proposal for residential/commercial/retail projects on the land between Jordan Esplanade and the railway line and Coffs Harbour City Councils proposed CBD revitalisation project.
Along with H. A. Bacharach (Park Beach Plaza) and Gowings having substantial real estate holdings along the Jetty Strip zoned for commercial/retail/residential development this makes for a major change to the Jetty Precinct in the coming years
Given the quantity of vacant premises, both retail and commercial, in the CBD the proposal to create more on the foreshores would appear to be counterproductive to Councils vision.
We need to have a realistic approach to how much commercial/retail floor space an economy the size of Coffs Harbours can in fact support.
TRAFFIC FLOW AND PARKING CONGESTION
Given there is but one road in and out of the Foreshores the above developments will have a major impact on traffic which at peak times is already an issue
We need a true collaboration between all levels of government, business and the citizens of the Coffs Harbour Electorate to ensure the Jetty Foreshores remains a place for people, with ample parking and free of traffic congestion.
DEVELOPMENT OF PASSIVE RECREATION AMENITIES INCLUDING WALKING AND CYCLING PATHWAYS BEACH ACCESSIBILITY and ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF INDIGENOUS CULTURAL HERITAGE
This policy statement is still being developed. Please check back if this policy is of interest to you.
HEALTHECARE
MEDICARE
I believe in the Public Health System. I believe there is a need for improvement in the delivery of the existing health system and a commission should be set up to investigate more efficient use of funds in order to increase staff to patient ratios and reduce patient waiting times and waste.
The focus of the health care system must be on patient carer ratios. Our nurses and ancillary staff are the systems greatest asset and must be supported in order that they can do their jobs effectively.
CLIMATE CHANGE AND ENVIRONMENT
For me personally I believe human beings are absolutely having an enormous impact on the planet. Regardless of what our individual beliefs are with regard to climate change the use of clean energy and a plastic free environment can only be of benefit.
Currently the majority of our energy and packaging needs are by products of the fossil fuel industry. These industries are polluting our environment at an unprecedented rate poisoning our land, air and water resources and destroying habitat and our wildlife populations.
Clean air, healthy water resources and quality agricultural land are necessary for human life to survive. We do not have to sacrifice our lifestyle in order to maintain these assetts. We just have to change the way we do things.
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL ISSUES
The economic and social welfare of our communities are inseparable. More and more we see studies which tell us peoples well being is directly linked to their economic security.
The growing disparity in earning capacity and wealth distribution serves only to undermine the foundations of our economic structure and the stability of our society.
Arts and culture
Art and culture is essential to the wellbeing and enhancement of any society. It is art and culture that form the very building blocks on which human society is founded. Without creativity, without creative thinking human society would not have evolved. It forms the basis of all we do as human beings.
Coffs harbour has for a long time been unable to move forward in the development of meaningful cultural infrastructure that not only services our electorate but our also our region.
As the major regional player which provides goods and services to a population well beyond the city limits we deserve and our community deserves cultural infrastructure befitting the roll we play in the lives of the broad community.
Investment in a performing arts space and relevant cultural facilities of an outstanding design which inspires our residents and demands attention as a tourism destination is essential for our economic growth and the well being of our community.
ABORIGINAL CULTURAL HERITAGE
This is one of the most contentious issues facing us today. Until we can truly afford our indigenous people the respect and thus the dignity they deserve as the original inhabitants of this land we can not move forward as a cohesive, compassionate and forward thinking society.
Acknowledgement of their cultural, social and spiritual practices and beliefs which served them well as the oldest continuous culture on earth is an essential component if we are to move forward in finding solutions the multitude of issues facing this community. There is much we could learn from them.