Father of eight enters contest for Sunshine Coast Division 10
Div 10 candidate Camillo Primavera says homelessness is a humanitarian crisis.
by Janine Hill
A NAVY veteran and advocate for the homeless will take on sitting councillor for division 10 David Law at the March local government election.
Camillo Primavera is so far the only person to challenge Mr Law to represent the division, which stretches from Nambour and Yandina up to Mapleton and out to Kenilworth.
Mr Primavera, of Nambour, said he had decided to run for council after being incensed by the council’s lack of action on the housing criss.
He said the a Housing and Homelessness Action Plan passed by the council seemed to be no more than a piece of paper that had not been put into action.
He has been involved in trying to free up unoccupied buildings and land for occupation and said he would continue trying to help in the same practical vein if elected.
He flagged that he had little time for council regulations which limit occupation of a tiny home or caravan on private property to four weeks without a permit.
“I will continue to look for properties and land that is quite suitable for tiny houses without the b…..t playing out between the council and the Planning Act when its entirely possible,” he said.
Prior to moving to the Sunshine Coast, Mr Primavera was founder and director of a charity in Maryborough, REST (Recovery, Education Services and Training, for homeless families and children.
He described homelessness as a humanitarian crisis and said solutions were needed now.
Aside from homelessness, he is standing on issues including youth crime, sustainable development, transparency in local government.
He is also interested in the rising cost of living and wants a review of the council’s finances and a close look at rate increases.
Mr Primavera, a father of eight and grandfather of 12, was a nurse in the navy and medic in the army reserve before moving to Queensland Health, where he worked as a nurse manager at a hospital. He also trained as a naturopath.
A justice of the peace for 30 years, he has a dislike for injustice and an interest in helping out where he sees need in the community.
“I like to help people,” he said.