The newly formed Tweed Respect team have responded to a call from the Tweed area Chambers of Commerce for Tweed Shire Council candidates to represent business interests.
Head of the group, Eddie Roberts from Uki, said all four candidates on the Tweed Respect ticket are business oriented having owned or managed local small businesses.
Along with Roberts, the group also includes three Tweed Coasters, well-known Kingscliff-based environmental campaigner Scott Sledge, Cudgen’s Tracey Stride and Tim O’Hara from Clothiers Creek.
The group officially launched their campaign for this year’s council election in Murwillumbah last week.
Eddie Roberts runs a forest regeneration business with three employees and previously was owner/operator of a successful guest house in Whistler, Canada.
Among their policies, Tweed Respect promises to work with the Chambers of Commerce to support local businesses and employment opportunities.
“We want to free commerce from over-regulation and work towards attracting and facilitating a vibrant low-carbon economy for the area’s future,” lead candidate Eddie Roberts said.
“As part of a strategy to increase eco tourism in our unique region the Tweed Respect team wants to increase access to our special natural attractions whether these are nature walks with informative panels in the magnificent caldera or our gorgeous beaches.
“We need to promote the natural wonderland of the Tweed, rather than become a dormitory suburb of the Gold Coast,” he said.
“New housing should be a scale that will encourage sustainable growth without sacrificing the lifestyles of current inhabitants.”
“There is a big difference between small sustainable business, which supplies and employs local people and large corporations that take advantage, and then take profits out of the area.”
“While having a pro-business attitude the Tweed Respect Group represents the whole community, not special interests, and will ensure that the closed door practices of the past Council are ended so the community can be assured of transparent good government,” Mr. Roberts said.
Supporters of the Tweed Respect team will kick up their heels at Condong Bowling Club this Saturday, June 23 with a fundraising music night called A Slice Of Paradise starting at 6:30pm . Featured artists include Lil’ Fi, Laura and the Renegade Gentlemen, The Bloke from Bullamakanka, Blind Willie Wagtail and the Kelly Gang. Tickets $20/$15 available from The Modern Grocer and Murwillumbah Music, Burringbar Rainforest Nursery and Emmanuel’s Wine Shop (Kingscliff) or at the door.
Other policies are:
- Work with governments to achieve the best outcomes for the Tweed in health, education, policing, roads and facilities
- Attract sustainable industry and foster economic activity
- Encourage community consultation and responsiveness to the concerns of the community
- Develop best practice principles. Transparent accountable government.
- Support primary producers and protect prime agricultural land
- Work with local communities to help stop the Gold Coast crime wave from spreading south
- Regular and reliable public transport particularly for smaller, rural communities
- Fight coal seam gas mining
- Keep our rivers and beaches clean and healthy; preserve koala habitats; combat noxious weeds
- Water supply – water harvesting, tank subsidy, education, recycle, reuse, no new dam
- Paths – make more roads pedestrian/bike and family-friendly
