By JONATHON HOWARD
MEMBER for Noosa Glen Elmes says timing is everything in the bid to re-align Noosa Council’s boundary to include four additional Sunshine Coast Council suburbs.
He said there also needed to be an overwhelming majority of those residents in favour of the boundary change, in order for it to go ahead.
Speaking with Noosa Today, Mr Elmes said he would love to see Eumundi, Doonan, Verrierdale and Weyba Downs join Noosa Council – but it’s not something he can decide.
“This is something for the people of these suburbs to decide via a vote,” he said.
“The Sunshine Coast Council needs to stop being belligerent and at least let the people of the four suburbs make the decision.”
Recalling the de-amalgamation of Noosa Council from the Sunshine Coast Council last year, Mr Elmes said the passion and determination from Noosa residents was consistent and formed the majority view.
“Noosa residents in their thousands turned out and actively campaigned to split from Sunshine Coast Council, and their efforts were rewarded,” he said.
However, Mr Elmes said now was not the time for the EDV Residents Group, leading the charge, to be attempting to change boundaries as campaigning for the State Government election possibly in March next year is underway.
“There’s a need to let the air clear, wait for the election to be over in the first half of next year before putting forward an application,” he said.
Mr Elmes suggested that Minister of Local Government David Crisafulli would be unlikely to be in the same role next year.
“Minister Crisafulli has done an incredible service as the minister for local government, however, while nothing is set in stone, I think it would be time for him to receive a step-up next year and he may not be in the same position,” he said.
Mr Elmes said the EDV Residents Group would need at least 80 per cent of the vote to ensure the shift would go ahead.
He also said residents living in the four suburbs needed to emotionally attach themselves to the EDV cause.
“If there’s an overwhelming view that these residents want to make the change to Noosa, then it would be a brave government that goes against the wishes of its people,” he said.
Mr Elmes said that without the passion and determination from those residents, the EDV’s application would face an up-hill battle.
“Look back at the Noosa Council split from the Sunshine Coast… residents were not just putting their names on petitions they were attending meetings, rattling cages and calling for the split on a united front… that’s what is needed from the EDV residents,” he said.
Have your say: Do you support the idea of a referendum of the four suburbs to determine each voter’s views? Email your thoughts to newsdesk@noosatoday.net.au
