1 Candidate details
Jim Beatson
Council: Byron Shire Council
Town/city: Byron Bay
Number of years in shire/LGA: Bought house 14 years ago with endless back and forth from Sydney until 2007 when I moved here.
Current councillor? No
Clubs/sports/interests: Board of Byron Aged Care, Byron Breast Cancer Support Group, Byron Community Centre. Reading, music, movies, politics, community activism.
Are you a member of a political party or an organised ‘ticket’? Yes
If yes, which party or who else is on your ticket?: The Greens
Brief description: I have divided my professional life between journalism, project management and company/organisational start-ups and love the shire with all my heart. Inclusive, imaginative problem solving is my thing.
2 What has motivated you to stand?
Aside from its beauty and people I believe the strength of our shire has been a council that protects both. When I realised most of the Greens on council were moving on I felt it important that people with long experience in business, community affairs and good governance stand.
3 What is your vision for the shire/LGA?
To better unite all sections of our remarkable community through creating council sub-committees where all stakeholder group representatives work through issues. Then test policy conclusions through trialling. Keep what works. Ditch or modify those that don’t.
4 In your opinion, how can council best balance the need for further
residential development with the need to preserve the local
environment?
Urban consolidation, approval of appropriate small-scale developments instead of large ones, better defined and policed regulated zoning, less expensive DAs for community-title dwellings.
5 What particular issues do you feel strongly about?
Promoting and attracting visitors for its core values as much as its beauty. Stopping CSG in our and neighbouring shires. Unregulated holiday letting in residential areas. Practical environmental solutions to the many issues facing us.
