THE local government election race is heating up, with long-time local and Noosa Shire Residents and Ratepayers Association President Brian Stockwell announcing his candidacy as a councillor in the 2016 elections.
Mr Stockwell said he was announcing early so he could spend the next three months listening to the community through “coffee cup consultation”.
Mr Stockwell plans to travel throughout the shire and meet with residents to hear their concerns.
“I hope to sit around a table with small groups of people to identify what the important issues are for them,” he said.
“Whether people want to get a few friends around the kitchen table, meet at a local coffee shop, or invite me to their group’s meeting, I am happy to come along and listen to their concerns and aspirations for the future.
“The issues at Peregian Beach are different to those at Pomona, and if I want to represent the whole of the Noosa Shire I need to understand what people want to protect and what they would like to see changed; both on the coast and in the country.”
Mr Stockwell has recently been the head of a local movement to address issues with the management of the Noosa River and said he has been actively lobbying the government for a more integrated approach to achieve a better balance between recreation, fisheries and the environment since the late ’90s.
With the recent announcement that Councillor Tony Wellington will be running for mayor, together with Noosa Mayor Noel Playford and Deputy Mayor Bob Abbot’s pending retirement, Mr Stockwell says he believes there is a need for new councillors who have local government experience and a strong commitment to Noosa values.
In a statement released to the media on Tuesday morning, Mr Stockwell said he offered the community 30 years of local and state government experience as a planner and catchment ecologist, having held senior positions in government including the role of Director for the Sunshine Coast Region for the Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation and State Development Infrastructure and Planning.
Mr Stockwell said the biggest challenge for the next council would be to undertake a major review of the Noosa Plan to meet the requirements of the new planning legislation.
“I believe I can bring a commitment to a community driven approach, which aims to maintain our high levels of environmental protection, while providing sufficient flexibility to attract new business to Noosa as well as job and recreational opportunities for our youth,” he said.
Mr Stockwell said standing for council had always been on the “long-term plan” since deciding not to stand for a second term in 1991 in order to start a family and pursue a career.
“I’ve never lost my passion for thinking globally but acting locally, and believe I can bring a diverse range of skills and experience to the table,” he said.
“The time is right, and I hope to have the privilege of working with the community to keep Noosa at the top of the Sunshine Coast and an inspiration for coastal communities globally.”
