Brian Stockwell has been called plenty of things in his three terms on Noosa Council, but “a quitter” has never been one of them.
The veteran battler for community and environment causes says he has plenty left in the tank and will put his hand up again in the approaching election to finish what he’s started.
Noosa’s most experienced councillor is a qualified town planner, environmental manager and catchment ecologist – a range of skills he says can help restore the balance in favour of residents and our environment.
“I think our voters can see through the glib slogans and empty promises, and judge candidates on their record. My record as a battler for what we call Noosa values is there for everyone to see.”
Cr Stockwell says he works well alongside Deputy Mayor Frank Wilkie who is so far the only candidate for mayor. He said there’s a lot to be done by the next council and it’s vital to elect candidates who put Noosa’s residents above their own political ambitions.
He said “A number of key initiatives that I helped get off the ground are yet to be finalised and I want to see them through.”
In 2019 Cr Stockwell undertook a strategic planning assessment of council land to identify parcels potentially suitable for community housing to meet the growing crisis, initially driven by the loss of rental stock to short term accommodation.
“Last week council agreed in principle to sell part of the site I identified as the most suitable in the shire to a community housing cooperative. While this is looking very promising there is a lot more to do to encourage lower cost worker accommodation as well as community housing.”
He also developed a discussion paper in 2020 on protecting the Noosa destination and experience. After broad support was gained from fellow councillors, the beginnings of the Destination Management Plan were up and running.
“While I had hoped this plan would be finished by now, it was too important to rush and the recent consultation shows we need Councillors who can help design the transformational approach to visitor management required to protect resident lifestyles.”
He said “The next Council will finish this plan and put it into action. It’s absolutely vital we have the right Councillors to get that done, and to get the balance right for residents.”
Cr Stockwell also expressed his desire to accelerate action on key programs around river health and climate change in the Environment Strategy.
“As a member of the National Executive of Climate Emergency Australia I am committed to taking action to achieve Council’s Zero Emissions Targets. In the next term we have important decisions to make around the potential solar farms and waste to energy plants being investigated as part of the Waste Strategy. “
If elected Cr Stockwell would be in his fourth term in office, with the first stint when he was still in his 20s in the transformational council of 1988-1991 and he then returned to serve two more terms from 2016.
