ASHLEY Robinson wants to be mayor of a council that listens and says Council should encourage medium density living in Nambour CBD. Mr Robinson said he would schedule a “meet the mayor” day in every division if elected and he would also have an advisory board of community members to embrace local knowledge and “challenge” the mayor and council on decisions.

“We’ve got so much knowledge in this community. I think the council, at times, needs to listen,” he told a meet the candidates event .

Mr Robinson said the council’s failure to listen had been a recurring theme in conversations during his campaign and cultural change was needed. The Sunshine Coast Falcons chairman and former general manager of the Alexandra Headland surf club said he had demonstrated the ability to produce it.

“I’ve had big groups of people work for me and the last 14 years I’ve been the Alex surf club, which, when I got there, slight culture problem, had debt, had a bit of a profile problem, a little bit like the council,” he said.

“14 years later, paid the debt off, the place is in good shape, the culture’s good, their business is good, they’re performing well on the beach. Everyone’s rowing the boat in the same direction. That’s what you need for mayor. Someone who can actually make cultural change.” 

Mr Robinson highlighted Nambour’s potential as a medium density hub.

“I think you’ve got to look at where there is infrastructure with affordable housing.  For instance Nambour. You’ve got all that CBD of Nambour where there are buildings falling down. And property owners not releasing. Maybe you could do medium density in Nambour, which would rejuvenate Nambour. And you could put some retail underneath it, which I think would really help. There’s already the infrastructure there.”

Mr Robinson has lived at Wurtulla for 40 years but was born in Nambour and grew up at Eudlo, where his father did the cutting for Robinson Road.

“Every six weeks, he’d be whinging to the local councillor – councillors were volunteers in those days – about getting the road graded,” he said. “Fifteen years after he passed away, they got the thing bitumened, so I actually know a bit about what it’s like to live in the hinterland,” he said, adding he wanted to be a mayor for all.

Readers Question regarding council finances

A reader asked: What steps would you take to put Council on a firm financial footing?

Mr Robinson’s answer:  

I have made no big spending  promises during this election campaign because I need a forensic understanding of the council’s true financial position. I need to understand just where ratepayers are not getting value for money. What disturbs me is how many community and sporting organisations have been thrown into lease uncertainty by this current council. These organisations are the social fabric of the region yet can’t do a five-year plan let alone a ten-year plan because their lease periods have been cut back. Even worse I’m being told that when groups try to form compatible commercial partnerships to help them cover costs, council departments have their hand out for a 50 per cent cut.