Noosa Mayor Clare Stewart
A year from now Noosa residents will elect a new council and seemingly unfortunate politicking has already begun.
In a letter to this newspaper last week (Loved to Death, Noosa Today, 3 March), numerous false and malicious allegations were made. Such denunciations and falsehoods disappoint me. They are ugly and unproductive.
I know it is possible to have respectful elections because that’s how I ran my campaign when I was elected mayor in 2020.
The letter was written by Susie Osmaston, who it turns out was once an employee of a former mayor and who for some years was a local newspaper columnist designated Noosa’s Queen of Gossip. Her letter misinformed readers about the council and about our work. So, I need to set the record straight on a few things.
As mayor, I am committed to leading a council that takes seriously its role of supporting residents, community groups and businesses while managing the impacts of tourism, building the local economy, and protecting the natural environment.
Perhaps Susie Osmaston’s most unwarranted accusation was that my mayorship to date has been “three years of … residents-be-damned”. The truth is that the council is resident-focused, both in my own and that of other councillor’s practices (such as meeting with residents every day) and in the many council policies designed to build a better community.
On my watch, this council is undertaking its largest ever capital works program and energetically making up for the lack of historical investment in this area. Council delivered $35 million in works last year and has already hit $28 million in works so far this year, with more projects earmarked for the remaining four months. We have upgraded 600 metres of new pathways to date with a total of 2.5 kilometres of new and upgraded pathways under construction as part of the Walking and Cycling Strategy.
Of particular importance to me was the failure of previous councils to address the scarcity of affordable housing. This has become a critical problem given the recent near doubling of property prices in many parts of the shire. Under my leadership the council is adopting a progressive plan to implement solutions to ease the hardship faced by many residents.
Over the past couple of budgets, we distributed record amounts – around $1 million each year – to voluntary community groups that are such vital drivers of local charitable and improvement initiatives. I’m honoured to be patron of YouTurn and Womenkind, two charities supporting the most vulnerable women, children, and families in our community.
For some inexplicable reason, previous Noosa Councils had decided to turn their back on the South East Queensland Council of Mayors. I believe that collaboration with other councils is strength and as a result of our new involvement, the council is set to receive nearly $3.6 million for liveability projects in the shire. These closer ties with other councils have also strengthened our ability to better advocate for Noosa in federal and state government jurisdictions.
I found it strange that Susie Osmaston should accuse us of “three years of… pro-business”. Why should we apologise for caring about local business and local employment? There are over 7000 mostly small and micro businesses owned by residents of the Shire and they are the lifeblood of this community.
I certainly did not want to continue the previous council’s anti-business reputation. I am pro-people, pro-community, pro-environment, and pro-business.
When the Covid pandemic began, we established a Business Roundtable with business and council representatives, a collaboration that continues.
The Noosa Chamber of Commerce and Hastings Street Association recently asked us to help start a pilot project to house workers priced out of the Noosa rental market. We’re supporting that to the hilt and have applied for a $200,000 State government grant.
In similar disapproving vein, Susie Osmaston accused us of “three years of … pro-tourism”. Like previous councils, we face an increasing influx of visitors with resultant impacts on resident amenity, traffic congestion and parking. But our council is the first council to take responsibility for a destination management plan with the aim of sustainable tourism protecting residential amenity, the river, and the environment.
Again, Susie Osmaston accuses us of “three years of … pro-events”. That’s a silly statement because, since the Covid pandemic, which coincides with the life of our council, the number of events has obviously reduced. Our events policy also limits the number of major events allowed to take place in the shire.
The accusation by Susie Osmaston that the council had provided “three years of … anti-conservationist” (sic) is false. The truth is that our council (as councils before) is committed totally to protecting and conserving the natural environment. We have more environmentally protected land now than ever and we continue to purchase land for conservation – 40.8 per cent of shire land is secured compared with 34.75 per cent in 2018.
Our council is the first council to have formed the Noosa River Stakeholder Advisory Group which, in partnership with Maritime Safety Queensland, is taking meaningful steps to clean up pollution in our river system and has advocated for the introduction of a 28-day anchoring limit.
We have an active bushfire management program with more controlled burns, greater trail maintenance and closer oversight of hazard reduction. We’re the first council in Queensland to trial advanced artificial technology for the early detection and location of fires.
Unfortunately, we’re still dealing with legacy issues from the decisions of previous councils, such as the Blue Care development’s displacement of Black Glossy Cockatoos and the continued operation of the Kin Kin Quarry. We’ve stood alongside the hinterland community in seeking to alleviate many problems associated with the quarry.
In my job as mayor, I always listen carefully to good faith criticism of my performance.
But ill-informed disparagement proffered in a political context is of no value. Since my election, I’ve continued to be fully committed to the people of Noosa Shire. I’m proud to be the mayor of a council that is active in protecting the environment, strengthening the well-being of the community, collaborating with small business, and achieving a tourism industry that is proportional and sustainable.
We are fortunate to live in a democracy and I would be the first to fight for protecting the right of all to speak.
But with that right there comes a responsibility to recognise that opinion is not fact, falsehood is not truth and good relationships are key to achieving successful outcomes.
I will always stand up to those who propagate inaccuracies which are unhelpful and divisive.
