Joe Shlegeris is the Greens candidate for Noosa.
1. What do you believe are the major issues facing Noosa?
The electorate of Noosa deserves effective, independent representation. We have been abused by both of the obsolescent old parties, with one forcing us into an unwanted amalgamation and the other then working to derail the de-amalgamation movement.
Our sitting LNP member has ignored a flotilla of rotting, abandoned boats polluting the Noosa River for the whole eight years he has been in office. Now he makes an unfunded promise to do something. That’s an insult to voters.
Noosa deserves a local member to represent our electorate, not one who just makes up the numbers for a party that doesn’t care.
2. What is your position on major development in Noosa?
Many people in Noosa fought hard for years to get our local council back. That council has a clear development plan that responds to the desires of Noosa residents. The Noosa Council should be supported in its role.
The LNP State Government seeks to gut the ability of local councils to manage development. Residents and visitors to Noosa both choose Noosa because it’s not the Gold Coast. We must not let the State Government undo all of the hard work that has kept Noosa special.
Big parts of the electorate of Noosa are outside the Noosa Council. Residents of EDV and Peregian Springs should be doubly wary of the LNP’s grab for development control.
3. Explain in one sentence why people should vote for you.
I offer to use the skills gained in a lifetime of successful business experience, supported by exceptional education and qualifications plus current expertise in finance, energy, and environmental matters, to act as a strong and independent representative for the residents of the electorate of Noosa.
4. If elected, what issues would you fight for in Noosa?
First, to protect and enhance the public hospital services in Noosa. The LNP now hands out a flyer purporting to tell the “truth about the hospital” or something similar. They said nothing until I raised the issue; the LNP was happy to stay quiet about letting our hospital close. Keeping it will be a fight as big as de-amalgamation; it starts now.
Second, we must restore real education and training facilities here in the Noosa electorate. As a volunteer mentor with Business Mentors Noosa, I know businesses are starved for skilled staff while many, many people seek further training. The LNP response? It guts and shuts the TAFE. We must re-open and expand the TAFE.
5. Tell us something about you that most people wouldn’t know.
I know more about pregnancy and childbirth than I need. My wife Karen has been a childbirth educator for many years. Our two sons and I served as the practice audience for every new course she developed.
I can tell you the right way and the wrong way to do your pelvic floor exercises. Our kids grew up guessing which of the women in adjacent cars at the traffic lights were doing their exercises at that very moment (hint: we shouldn’t be able to tell by looking at your face).
When I’m ready for a dinner party to end, I offer to give a quick lecture on the useful role of normal pain in childbirth. That usually does the trick.
