What do you love about the Tweed region?
I love everything about the tweed the people the environment our rainforests our beautiful wildlife.
Why are you putting your hand up for the Tweed Council?
I’m putting my hand up because I want to represent the Tweed with an independent voice. I have no party affiliation and want to represent the people not a party. I ran for last election and was so honoured to be elected but the term was short because of covid. I know how council works now and have a lot of things I would like to do.
What relevant skills or experience do you bring to the position?
I have been on council now for one short term and am very keen to keep working for the community. I have a vast experience in lots of areas. I was raised on a farm so understand the plight of farmers and how difficult it can be on the land. I trained as a nurse and worked in the public health system for ten years. I then ran my own business for 12 years.
After moving to the Tweed in 1997 I have been involved with many volunteer organisations from palliative care to wildlife caring. I understand people, business and have a great love of wildlife and the environment.
How would you address the local housing crisis?
The housing crisis is our biggest challenge. We need the land that has been marked for development to be bought to market. We have 1,000s of blocks of land ready to be developed but nothing has happened. There needs to be incentives to encourage developers to bring these blocks onto the market.
We also need to encourage the development of different forms of housing. We need duplexes and smaller units as we don’t need big houses with four bedrooms we need smaller units for singles.
Do you think there is a role for local councillors beyond roads, rates and rubbish? If so, what is it?
There is a role for local councillors besides roads, rates, and rubbish. Council provides numerous other services from caring for disadvantaged in the community, bush regeneration, dealing with community organisations, animal control, illegal land clearing and so much more.
The community sees councillors as the connection between council and them. That is what I see a councillors role as, supporting the community to work with council. Also assisting council to make decisions for the good of the community.
There are over 20,000 approvals in place for residential and business development lots yet there is significant delay in activating these sites. What will you do to change that if you are elected?
As I have mentioned there needs to be incentives for the developers to bring these blocks of land to market. There also needs to be penalties if they are not developed in a timely manner. Twenty years is just too long for the community to wait we need more housing now.
How do you balance the pressure of more people and the need to protect the environment which is attracting the people?
We can’t keep going out into our precious forests and clearing bushland. We need more intense development in the built-up areas of Tweed. We need units and we also need to look at a change in housing such as duplexes and two-storey houses to fit more people in. Not highrises but two and three-storey units with community areas to encourage connection between residents. We may also need say sorry the Tweed is now full.
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. 
