Ballina Chamber of Commerce has provided all candidates with a number of question’s they are interested in.
It’s extremely hard to answer them all in detail in one 5 minute speech so in order to give each question a detailed enough answer it deserves I’ve put together a 25/30 minute podcast covering these questions.
Questions the chamber provided were:
- What is your vision for the Ballina Shire for the next 20 years?
- What are the big ticket items for the Ballina Shire for the next 4-8 years?
- How do you see the Council interacting with small and medium size businesses?
- Council is involved in the Small Business Friendly Council’s program. What recommendations do you have that would make Council more encouraging of new business investment and growth of existing business.
- Do you think, if elected, you will be able to engage in constructive debate, not speak to the person next to you while another Councillor tables their position, avoid laughing at people while they are delivering a deputation, vote on the issue on the table irrespective of who put it forward, change your position based on what other Councillor or community members put forward – if you see merit in their argument, and refrain from indulging in factional behaviour that ultimately undermines good governance?
- Ballina Chamber of Commerce believes that we need to take greater advantage of the Town’s location on the Richmond River. Unfortunately development and embellishment of the foreshore of Ballina Island has in the past and continues to take place in a very ad hoc way. Would you commit Council to preparing a visionary masterplan of Ballina Island which will ensure we use our riverfront setting in a manner that gives the best possible outcome for the future of Ballina and the CBD?
- In May 2015, IPART approved a rate increase for Ballina Shire ratepayers based on Council spending $8.1M to upgrade the Ballina and Alstonville pools. Later in 2015 a Council appointed consultant estimated the costs for the pool upgrading works at $11.4M. Because of the very cursory nature of that estimate, BCCI believes that the actual costs will likely be closer to $14M. We note it is intended that the upgrading work will entail demolition of all of the original Ballina Pool infrastructure. BCCI believes the Ballina pool site is much better suited to other higher value uses that are more complementary to the CBD. Would you commit Council to undertaking a fresh look at the pool upgrading project including examination of re-siting the Ballina pool to another location?
- Do you feel the gateways extending into the town need significant improvements (street trees, gardens, signage, etc) and, if so, will you push for council to allocate significant funding to such a project.
- Do you believe council has a role to play in economic development and, if so, how to you see this would be facilitated.
- Do you have comments on the Emerging Regional Centre Strategy or the two recently commissioned Marina Masterplans? What is your position on recommendations?
- Ballina Chamber of Commerce boasts 300+ members which is 19% of all employing businesses in the Ballina Shire and 7.5% of all businesses in the LGA. Combined with Alstonville and Lennox Chambers those figures go up to 25.5% and 9.5%. We are considered extremely proactive within the Chamber movement in NSW and our voluntary Board of Management spend considerable time keeping abreast of local governance and policy issues and engaging with Council and other stakeholders. If elected, will you actively engage with Ballina Chamber of Commerce and regularly attend our meetings?
Check out my highly entertaining Podcast on these issues below…