By Margaret Maccoll
Independent Noosa candidates former Noosa Shire councillor Sandy Bolton and former Greens candidate for Nicklin Aaron White this week joined five endorsed political party representatives vying for the seat of Noosa in the upcoming State Election on 25 November.
Both Independents said they aimed to represent the community without the influence of a political party.
“The result of the upcoming election will probably be a hung parliament, and this will provide Independent MPs real leverage,” Ms Bolton said.
“Noosa’s vote will count like never before.
“This will give me, as an Independent, an opportunity to negotiate beneficial outcomes for some long standing and unresolved issues.”
Mr White said having been involved in local, state and federal campaigns,” the resounding message I’m hearing is people have had enough of party political games, hollow promises and the disconnect between the community and the political decision-making process”.
Also expecting a closely divided contest between Labor and the LNP, Greens candidate Phillip Jenkins urged Noosa voters to choose a Greens representative on the cross bench.
“We’re likely to hold the balance of power, and I hope to use it for Noosa,” he said.
Local building designer and well known equality activist Robin Bristow is representing the REASON Party he described as “a party that will challenge the ‘same-old, same-old’, and take a lot of the hot air out of political debate”.
“What I like about REASON is that it seeks creative, evidence-based solutions to complex problems – solutions that have been held back for far too long by squabbling major parties,” he said.
Under the redistribution of electoral boundaries this election, the seat of Noosa gain Pomona and Kin Kin from Gympie and lose Eumundi, Peregian Springs and parts of Coolum to the new seat of Ninderry.
Incumbent Glen Elmes will be contesting the seat he held since being elected to it as Liberal Party candidate in 2006. Mr Elmes was re-elected as the LNP candidate in 2009, 2012 and 2015.
At the 2015 election, Mr Elmes won the election with 48 per cent of the vote despite a 12 per cent swing against LNP at the time. Greens claimed 21.4 per cent of the vote with then candidate Joe Shlegeris, and Labor were just behind Greens claiming 20.5 per cent of the vote with candidate Mark Denham.
Mark Denham will again represent Labor.
“This election is a choice between Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, who has restored frontline services or Tim Nicholls, who will again cut jobs and services and sell Queensland assets” he said.
Eve Whiteside will be representing the One Nation Party and aims “to ensure Noosa and the region receives a fair share of resources”.
Candidates have until 7 November to nominate for the election.
