Coast’s future in your hands

Readers will recall that in my July Editorial in respect to our Central Coast Council I referred to the ‘Eight lost years’. Firstly, with an elected council that plunged the organisation into massive debt and established an activist environmental culture.  And then, under Administration where the economic future of the region was and still is, of no consequence.

Therefore  it is important that the newly elected Council has a focus on the economic future of our region.

The timelines leading up to the election do not give ratepayers sufficient time to have candidates’ policies scrutinised.  As it is, the Electoral Commission has opened a Register of Candidates and this will remain open until 14^th August - Just one month prior to Election Day on 14^th September.

Meanwhile, at the time of CCBR going to press the Labor and The Greens parties  have not announced their candidates.

So the big worry is who will get the nod.

The Liberals have announced their endorsed Candidates (see Page 6).

The good news is that they are fielding a sound team who have the capacity to understand the needs of the region.

Their priorities we are told will be:

• Planning and Housing,
• Jobs for the Future
• Health and Education, and
• Support for business

Meanwhile, the Labor Party is keeping their powder dry too as are the greenie activists.

All will be revealed by the 14^th August.

However, word has it that at least one of the former Councillors will be running.

The Labor Party, along with their green activist friends cannot be allowed to get control.

The bottom line is that we, the voters, should never ever forget who got the region into the mess it is now in.

As for the Independents who will be putting their hands up it will remain in the lap of the gods as to how many will get elected.

Some, like Kevin Brooks who is standing in West Gosford Ward and has local government and financial experience would make an excellent Councillor.

Meanwhile Lawrie McKinna’s Team Central Coast is offering a sound team capable of making change at Central Coast Council.

Mr McKinna has experience having been Mayor of Gosford and knows that he has a job to do in turning council around,

As we go to press former Wyong Council Mayor Doug Eaton has announced that he will be a candidate in the Budgewoi Ward along with former Councillor and Deputy Mayor Greg Best.  Both are long serving Wyong Councillors.

OOO

Taking into account the State Government’s Central Coast Regional Plan 2036 which aims to deliver the infrastructure, housing and jobs needed to cater for future population growth to reach 415,000 by 2041 requiring an additional 32,530 additional dwellings by 2041 the newly elected council will have to focus on just that - infrastructure, housing and jobs. 

At this stage we are light years away from achieving this as Central Coast Council has deliberately worked against this Plan for the whole eight years of its existence.

Infrastructure, housing and jobs have been deliberately suppressed by this Council under Administration, although it started with the birth of the new Central Coast Council.

As for the housing target of 32,530 this will never happen unless a new pro development council takes control.

There is huge opportunity for the Central Coast to grow however the economy has gone backwards.

Business confidence in the region has evaporated.  The building industry is suffering significantly as Development Applications are being refused for the most spurious of reasons.

Businesses, property developers and investors are deserting the region and looking at the opportunities being offered by Lake Macquarie Council and other councils in the Hunter region.

Edgar Adams