Ballina Mayoral candidates

Highway, involvement in local sporting clubs, volunteering in cultural and community activities.

I am here to listen and serve the people of our community. I hope to continue advocating for the needs of our community through a more offcial pathway.

Challenges

The cost of living is the major issue in our area.

This is clearly experienced through the scarcity of affordable housing and energy prices.

As Mayor I will work tirelessly to manage the costs of delivering Council services so that there is no additional burden placed on families in these diffcult times.

I will use my vote on council to ensure that council resources are managed prudently to provide continuity of service to the community.

It is critical that the decisions of Ballina Council do not undermine the measures that our Federal Government has put in place, such as income tax cuts and cheaper medicines.

All levels of government must address the cost of living in a substantial way.

The health of the Richmond River has been neglected for too long. Multiple reports have been tabled, the recommendations ignored. Ballina Council must commission regular water quality testing and publish the results.

In 2019 a report to the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment recommended the establishment of a Richmond River Coordinator.

An employee who would work with all stakeholders to coordinate on ground works, arrange funding for repairs and plan for the restoration of the river.

It is imperative that this happens quickly.

Popular vote for Mayor?

The outcome of popular votes tends to favour the incumbent candidate.

As a challenger, it is logical for me to confrm that I would prefer a different way of choosing the Mayor.

Phil Meehan It’s time for change. Simple as that. This is why I am running for Mayor in Ballina Shire.

One of my key principles in local government is ‘social justice’. It is my belief that during this last term of Council, this principle has on too many occasions gone missing. We have had a small group of residents being able to ‘choose their own land zone’.

A right not given to all.

We have had another group of residents not being allowed to apply to manage a community facility. We have had councillors denigrating others because of political affliations. We simply need a change,