1 Candidate details
Name: Julie West
Council: Tweed
Town/city: Banora Pt
Number of years in shire/LGA: 30+
Current councillor? No
Clubs/sports/interests: In 2012 I was voted Tweed Shire woman of the year by the Tweed Shire Women’s Service Inc. I’m the founder of Tweed Heads Women in Business, which supports, mentors and provides opportunities to more than 80 local business Women and a board member of On-Track Community Programs and have been previously involved with the Tweed Coolangatta rowing club, Seagulls charity ball, Kids in Need Annual Dragon Boat event. I also held the role of volunteer treasurer at St James Primary school, was the 2011 team captain for the Rio Tinto Ride to Conquer Cancer and am a committee member for the Twin Towns Triathlon club and volunteer for local charity, You Have a Friend.
Are you a member of a political party or an organised ‘ticket’? Y/N Yes
If yes, which party or who else is on your ticket?: Group F
Brief description: Practising accountant and partner in an accounting firm in South Tweed, hold a Bachelor of Business degree, Justice of the Peace, and have more than 20 years’ experience in commerce.
2 What has motivated you to stand?
I live and breathe community and see an opportunity to value-add to council my years of experience and passion for the Tweed.
3 What is your vision for the shire/LGA?
A council that is harmonious and conscious of what the community says. We need a leader that can take council forward and that’s why I joined this group.
4 In your opinion, how can council best balance the need for further residential development with the need to preserve the local environment?
We live in a wonderful place and I see opportunity in sharing this region with others who want to live here. Jobs, sustainability (environmental and economic) and investment will be the cornerstone of the future in Tweed. Council has the ‘balance’ in place within the existing environmental and planning laws and it will be up to councillors to ensure these regulations are upheld.
5 What particular issues do you feel strongly about?
There needs to be more community funding available to the groups and organisations who have thousands of volunteers across the Tweed shire. The overall cost savings their services provide the wider community deserve a doubling of the community fund they apply for throughout the year so the Carolyn Byrne group pledges to commit to a doubling of this fund so the community groups of the Tweed can continue their work.
