A local Port Macquarie-Hastings Council election candidate believes he fits the bill as a “passionate, independent candidate from our local community who wants to help make informed decisions, with community consultation, about the future of our area – unbiased, free from state or federal influence and for the people who live here”.
“Whilst party based politics work well at the state and federal levels, I believe that it bears very little relevance at a local level,” he said.
“Steering a state or federal economy is far removed from managing the roads, rates, rubbish, water, parks and development of a local community.
“Just because our state or federal leaders would like to see more public housing, fluoridisation of our water supply or countless other schemes, should not mean that we go ahead and become the latest fall guy for their missions because no one stands up and says ‘no, our community doesn’t want this’.
“For this reason, I have decided to run for council.”
During the past 10 years, since returning to Port Macquarie, Mr Walsh said he has run a small but busy business which has taught hime a very important lesson – accountability.
“When the decisions you make affect not only yourself but the lives of others (family, staff, customers and communities) you have to make careful and well informed decisions to ensure their ongoing wellbeing,” he said.
“I want to be proud of our town and its surrounding rural areas and, like most parents, want it to be a safe and healthy place to raise our children.
“There is a continual stream of issues confronting our community every day, and I believe that going into a position of influence with a vision or a predefined agenda is somewhat presumptuous.
“Alternatively, I am going in with an open mind ready to deal with issues as they arise.
“Ratepayers’ hard earned dollars need to be used in a responsible manner.
“Council needs to streamline its development application approval times, eliminate unnecessary and extravagant spending, use resources in a more cost effective way and focus on basic services and the immediate needs of the community.”
Mr Walsh said Council needs to concentrate on repairing and strengthening the broken or dysfunctional parts before it can move strongly into the future.
“We can’t dip into our children’s future because we’re not willing to tighten our belts,” he said.
“We must build our financial foundations on sturdier grounds than the expectation that next year will always be better than this year.
“In the next four years I will work hard to make sure our fiscal policy doesn’t continue to be dictated by political convenience.
“Transparency, openness and inclusiveness will be first and foremost in developing our area’s budget and future prosperity.”
