Tweed Shire Council elects its seven councillors who then select their Mayor and Deputy Mayor. The Mayor has a run of two years and the Deputy Mayor is re-elected every 12 months.
The Tweed Shire is one of Australia’s top three a biodiversity hotspots and the region and its Gondwana Rainforests are recognised by UNESCO stating that ‘The outstanding geological features displayed around shield volcanic craters and the high number of rare and threatened rainforest species are of international significance for science and conservation.’
Yet, as with the entire Northern Rivers region them pressure of development, affordable housing and water security, particularly water mining, are key issues that the local council has to contend with.
‘Thankfully the community has been valuing, and voting for this internationally significant environment a bit more lately. We seem to be finally waking up to what we are doing to our poor planet and our children’s future with Climate Change,’ says former Greens Mayor and councillor Katie Milne who is not recontesting this election.
Instead, you have a wide range of candidate groups to choose from. Over the coming weeks, The Echo will be outlining the positions of these candidates who are seeking your votes. Listed first are the Group Candidates followed by the Ungrouped Candidates.
Grouped Candidates
Group A, Independent
William Fenelon, Carolyn Rifello, Rainer Glasker, and Susan Greer
Group B, Independent
Meredith Dennis, Jennifer Hayes, Edna Gorton, and Annah Piggott-McKeller
Group C, Independent
Peter Cumming, Bob Wallis , Meg Houghton, and Greg O’Connor
Group D, Independent
Chris Cherry (current Mayor), Lindy Smith, Julie Boyd, Kristie Trudgett, and Trevor White
Group E, Liberal
James Owen (current councillor), Rhiannon Brinsmead, Dudley Horscroft, Freda Wilding
Group F, Independent
Letitia Kelly, Dolly Tuku-Tuku-Kwarri, Marian Van Gestel, and Lori Scinto
Group G, Independent
Barry Longland, Dot Holdom, Wendy Shannon, and Michael Doherty
Group H, Independent
Warren Polglase (current conservative councillor), John Weaver, John Murray, and Tony Worrad
Group I, The Greens
Nola Firth, Joanna Gardner, Julianne Sandison, and Patricia Mann
Group J
Matthew Karlos, Robert Awes, Larry Karlos, and Sue Karlos
Group K
Pryce Allsop (current conservative councillor), William Larkin, Colin Brooks, Brent Saddler, and Jeffrey Gosel
Group L, Labor
Reece Byrnes (current Deputy Mayor), Russell Logan, Judith Choat, Robert Learmonth, Marie-Antoinette Rogers, and Peter Ruhanen
Group M
Leigh Thomas, Marianne Melnikas, Joshua Szabados, John Thomas, and Rodger Scott
Ungrouped Candidates
James Mckenzie , Eungella, Independent
Nathan Jones, Cudgen, Independent
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
