Redland City Bulletin reporter JUDITH KERR asked the 29 candidates in the March 19 to answer questions on the town plan, the urban footprint and jobs. Here are their answers in order of the ballot card.
DIVISION 1
WENDY BOGLARY
1) Do you think the current town plan process should start again? I have concerns with the current draft. Yes the plan has to be revised to restore the right direction.
2) Would you approve more development in existing rural zoned areas? There is sufficient residential zoning to last probably 50 years but we do not have job opportunities or sufficient sporting facilities so approval would depend on the development and needs of the city.
3) How would you create more jobs in the city in the next four years? Promote our assets and location in sectors we want to attract such as tourism, arts, offices and clean industries. Zone land for an employment area. Work with Chambers to encourage businesses. Make areas a destination. Continue to lobby the State to decentralise and move their offices here. (99)
CORINNE TOMASI
1) No. The review has made it simpler and easier to understand and it is always under review. It therefore doesn't make sense to start again. The State Government sets the timetable for this regional plan and council has to live within that timetable.
2) No - we must live within the planning scheme although this does mean greater housing diversity.
3) By working closely with small business and providing the support they need as they provide the vast majority of jobs. This should include incentives such as keeping rates down and supporting tariff reductions for electricity where council can influence. (97)
PAUL BRANAGAN
1) No. I believe that would be a waste of ratepayers’ money. We need the new council to make the new plan work as effectively as possible.
2) All development needs to be analysed on merit but in general I would be inclined away from such developments.
3) Long term, the Toondah Harbour development can be a great economic boost to the area, but short term the council needs to be working with state and federal governments to help the local small business community, the engine room of the Australian economy, to grow, prosper and employ more people. (97)
DIVISION 2
Tom Taranto
1) Do you think the current town plan process should start again? Yes.
2) Would you approve more development in existing rural zoned areas? No, to urban residential development.
3) How would you create more jobs in the city in the next four years?
I would strive to: Invest in internet infrastructure (NBN, etc) to support small and innovative businesses and attract the jobs of the future. Focus more on health, education and enterprise solutions and less on housing development. Encourage tourism so visitors can “rest, relax and rejuvenate in the Redlands”. Create a Gateway to Straddie that is inviting and informative. Provide more cycleways and boardwalks, open a foreshore caravan park, protect our marine and wetland resources to sustain fishing and bird watching activities and promote Redlands as the escape from frantic city routines. (97)
Craig Ogilvie (Incumbent)
1) Do you think the current town plan process should start again? Yes. The current proposed plan isn't what people want.
2) Would you approve more development in existing rural zoned areas? According to population projections there is enough land zoned for residential until well past 2040. The only development in rural areas should be sports fields and jobs related.
3) How would you create more jobs in the city in the next four years? Continue to lobby for State Government administration centres and Tertiary Education facilities. (Broadband is key). Support local small business and help them get big. Tourism has potential, if we protect the bay. Aquaculture has potential too. (73)
Peter Mitchell
1) Do you think the current town plan process should start again? No. The existing process has been extensive and is ongoing.
2) Would you approve more development in existing rural zoned areas? Possibly, I do not want rigid plan interpretation to have us miss any significant community opportunity.
3) How would you create more jobs in the city in the next four years? I will first ask local businesses what help they need from council. I will then work with them and officers to deliver what is possible. I will be open to fully reviewed innovative or bold ideas that have community benefits. Education facilities, boutique hotels, or Toondah harbours promise of 500-1000 jobs. I want to help to attract and then communicate opportunity, welcome quality projects and subsequent employment of our families. (96)
DIVISION 3
Penny Donald
1) No. To start this again would be costly as time has already been put into this. There is still further consultation. The plan is to 2041 but will be reviewed periodically.
2) The city plan outlines what can be done in rural zones. I will consult before approving any development that will impact on our way of life.
3) Creating jobs involves all three levels of government. I will work with the mayor and councillors. Small businesses play a role. Toondah Harbour and Weinam Creek will create jobs before and after construction. Toondah will be a tourist gateway to boost Stradbroke Island’s economy and tourism. (105)
Karyn Owen
1) Do you think the current town plan process should start again? No.
2) Would you approve more development in existing rural zones areas? This I can’t give a definitive answer as it would depend on the circumstances.
3) How would you create more jobs in the city in the next four years? I believe Toondah Harbour and Weinam Creek will offer employment for quite some time and I support both. There is spare office space in Cleveland CBD and I believe there is a great opportunity to use pop-up businesses, particularly for arts and craft. We have a lot of artists here and it would give them somewhere to display. If they opened on a Sunday they could be part of the markets and a tourist attraction. Tourism is important and I have been working on a grey nomad park.
TROY ROBBINS
Yes
No.
Eco tourism, renewable and alternative energy, investment in best-practice environmental rehabilitation of degraded land. Supporting local and existing business with sustainable and environmentally achievable practices.
PAUL GOLLE
Yes
No
Simple tourism projects that can be implemented in a short time. I would open Cleveland showgrounds to grey nomads, bring the tourist information centre back to Cleveland and promote backpacker holidays to the islands. I would look at a backpackers at Toondah district, shuttle buses, cafes and retail. Shuttle buses could take visitors to our museum, indigiscapes and ferries. I would finish and promote the Moreton Bay cycle way. Have seaside pool like at Wynnum Manly with usable park land and promote the Redlands for adventure tours, like diving with the sharks off Straddie. I have already commenced looking into a motocross track. (105)
DIVISION 4
LANCE HEWLETT
1) Yes, I believe the community should be more informed through the City Plan process so they understand what they are being consulted on.
2. No. Current out-of-sequence and out-of-urban footprint developments and inappropriate small lots are placing too much strain on infrastructure.
3. Redlands has opportunities to create employment by improving tourism, our Art, Cultural and Hospitality precincts, developing an RV facility and upgrading congested recreational boating facilities. There should be a focus on a masterplanned, employment precinct and incentives for large companies/employers. Infrastructure incentives applied for Cleveland CBD should also apply to other centres such as Victoria Point to encourage businesses to expand. (105)
JAMES HARLING
1. The planning process is one that should continue to evolve and be subject to continuous review as the city grows.
2. Preservation of our parks and conservation zones is paramount and development in these areas is not negotiable. Any decision to expand the current urban footprint would need to take into account infill options, population growth and impact on infrastructure stress.
3. Attracting private investment particularly in retail, tourism and services industries. Regeneration of retail requires attracting major chains to Cleveland and Victoria Point. Attracting government departments to relocate. Redland Business Park is under utilised. Our islands and environment have potential for ecotourism. (104)
DIVISION5
JUNITA GROSVENOR
MARK EDWARDS (incumbent)
I believe the current State mandated process of development approval is not in line with community expectations. All Councils are held hostage to a system where many development applications are recommended for approval by planning officers, based on the planning scheme, that don’t have community support. I believe the State Government should either take total control over all development approvals or change the system to allow individual Councils to make policy that is at odds with the State planning scheme and also to indemnify Councillors against legal action for making decisions based on what they believe is best for their community. (101)
DIVISION 6
STEPHANIE EATON
1) Do you think the current town plan process should start again? Yes. The current town plan has crammed houses in the Redland Bay part of Division 6. This is overdevelopment with a lack of forethought for infrastructure.
2) Would you approve more development in existing rural zoned areas? It would depend on the type and location of the development, but not in the southern end of Division 6 with the Shoreline development already approved.
3) How would you create more jobs in the city in the next four years? Health and tourism are the largest employers in Redland City. So let’s establish educational facilities in the areas of allied health and tourism. A Redlands campus of one of the larger universities would keep our young people in the city and create jobs associated with the University’s ancillary services. (101)
MELANIE LAVELLE-MALONEY
1) Yes, and it should include genuine community consultation across the City. Redlands 2030 Plan, adopted in 2010, included the whole community’s needs and wants, not just a selected few.
2) Let us first address the infrastructure issues and lobby for their much needed improvement . The roads and Redland hospital are at their maximum capacity and the southern end of the City requires another primary and secondary school.
3) The only new development outside the current urban footprint should be for enterprise areas that deliver long-term jobs. Particularly with the increasing number of people moving into Redlands. Residential building is only a short term fix to local employment issues. (106) words
JULIE TALTY (incumbent)
1) Do you think the current town plan process should start again? No, the process has not been completed, council has made no significant changes to the scheme. Community submissions are yet to be assessed and applied. Council may go out for further consultation.
2) Would you approve more development in existing rural zoned areas? Subdivision is generally prohibited under State Planning Regulatory Provisions outside the Urban Footprint in rural zones. Homes, sheds, rural infrastructure are generally as of right in rural zones.
3) How would you create more jobs in the city in the next four years? Support small business, tourism and events. Provide council-led infrastructure like our tracks and trails and promote natural assets, Toondah and Weinam, as well as Health and Wellness Precinct. Relocate Surf Life Saving, a new school in Redland Bay, encourage other levels of government. (103)
DIVISION 7
JANINE HEALY
1) Do you think the current town plan process should start again? Yes. Starting again would be reasonable considering the number of submissions received.
2) Would you approve more development in existing rural zoned areas? We need sensitive, sensible and sustainable development consultation to stop the dirge of small lot housing and issues that arise from it. Infrastructure needs to be considered.
3) How would you create more jobs in the city in the next four years? Our city is beautiful and we could capture this and create jobs through eco tourism, a marine science hub, cultural heritage tours, expanding the arts, improving sport facilities.
SHARYN DOOLAN
1)Yes.
2) Only on existing cleared land with a higher proportion of larger block sizes and acreage lots offered.
3) Encourage more business to the area. Give large and small business various exemptions to either make the move to Redlands or for further expansion. Rejuvenate Queen Street. Support, patronise and promote local business first and give priority to those who take on trainees. Promote tourism to the area. Seek additional water, leisure and adventure type business and sport to enjoy and utilize the full range of our natural resources (89)
MURRAY ELLIOTT (Incumbent)
1. No. Council conducted 54 business days of consultation well above the min 30 days. 6400 submissions indicates a good public response.
2. I would consider mayoral candidate Greg Underwoods plan for a commercial precinct in the woodlands drive/ Taylor road area. Anything more should be under the existing rural zone allowances.
3. See 2. (54)
DIVISION 8
TRACEY HUGES
1) The community spoke with almost 7000 submissions that they seek review/change, this indicates that residents are not happy with Draft City Plan. So yes it should start again.
2) I would welcome Rural development in rural zoned areas.
3) Tourism and small business support with increased IT infrastructure. (50)
ALAN BEARD (Incumbent)
1) No. It has been through an exhaustive community consultation. Planning officers and then council will consider submissions. The community will have had ample opportunity to provide input.
2) No. The draft planning scheme offers no opportunity to intensify development in the rural zone,where development is already permitted. The Plan has sufficient residential land to accommodate population growth to 2041.
3) Revitalise the Cleveland CBD, Toondah Harbour and Weinam Creek. Efforts to entice business such as Surf Life Saving Qld and the Industry Trade College. Tourism will be important after mining on North Stradbroke Island. More needs to be done for businesses on southern bay islands. (104)
KATHY REIMERS
1) No. The town plan process is in Stage 4, the community review, consultation and submission stage. We can make the changes we want to see in Redland City now without having to start the process over.
2) No. Our rural zoned areas are a part of what draws people to Redland City. Losing our rural areas means losing tourism, and part of our city's identity and potentially losing more of our unique wildlife.
3) Investment in a major All Weather Venue will attract local jobs in hospitality and tourism; increased promotion of Redland; lobbying of Federal and State governments. (97)
DIVISION 9
Paul Gleeson (incumbent)
1) Do you think the current town plan process should start again? No, not it the short term. I feel that it would be irresponsible to commit to starting over before we identify residents concerns that were raised during the community consultation stage.
2) Would you approve more development in existing rural zoned areas? Whilst I wouldn't actively seek development in existing rural areas, it would be irresponsible to absolutely refuse the idea at the risk of missing out on future opportunities. Educational facilities, employment precincts, sporting grounds etc.
3) How would you create more jobs in the city in the next 4 years? I have supported the reintroduction of the Thornlands Integrated Employment Area. I believe we are missing tourism opportunities along our foreshores and commit to putting pressure on the state to allow council increased rights to manage our foreshores. (104)
Jesse McNamara
1) I believe the city plan needs to account for the feedback received through the election period. As such, it should be reevaluated by the newly elected council.
2) Rural and green spaces are very important and a balance needs to be found. It is very important to protect what makes the Redlands special.
3) As Capalaba is the industrial and commercial heart of Redland City I would fight to ensure Capalaba gets its fair share. By working with all levels of government to get Capalaba what it deserves we can attract businesses and increase jobs for all.
DIVISION 10
JOY STEWART
1) There is time for a newly elected Council to have further input. To start again could be irresponsible and a waste of ratepayers money.
2) Each application would be looked at on its individual merits with meaningful community consultation and consideration of environmental aspects.
3) Small to medium businesses are the employment backbone of our nation. Small, entrepreneurial start-ups, as well as established small family businesses, should be encouraged and supported by Council. Redland City Council should find ways to say "YES" to attracting employment opportunities, and to encouraging and nurturing the small businesses we already have. (97)
PAUL BISHOP
1) Do you think the current town plan process should start again? Yes. We need to review updated population projections and consider impacts of Shoreline & Toondah. Redlands should grow while enhancing our unique regional flavour.
2) Would you approve more development in existing rural zoned areas? No. Sprawling creates infrastructure challenges for developers in short term and community over long term. Releasing more land pulls the rug on future generations.
3) How would you create more jobs in the city in the next four years? Plug any economic leakage of dollars out of our city and promote exports. Support existing local enterprises that source, produce, value-add and brand ‘Redlands Best’. Identify and profile our most innovative entrepreneurs, employers and regional attractors. Revisit Redlands Rural Futures Strategy, celebrate our healthy natural environment, community resilience and encourage bay & island industries. (100)
