THE Sunshine Coast’s economic base must move west of the Bruce Highway for the success and sustainability of the region, according to mayoral candidate Michael Burgess.

Mr Burgess told the Nambour Chamber of Commerce Meet the Candidates night that the Sunshine Coast was most successful when Nambour was the centre of the economy.

He  told the Nambour State College meeting that since the economy had moved east, the region had accumulated more debt.

“My contention is we have to move the economy back to west of the Bruce and it has to include local energy production, green manufacturing, and agriculture. 

Mr Burgess said the cash for infrastructure and other spending could only be created west of the highway and the council needed cash.

“The council doesn’t have a great deal of money left. It’s borrowed $450 million over the past 12 years,” he said.

“Out of existing cash flow, it can’t really pay that debt back so we will be condemned to keep on paying interest on it.

“But I’m optimistic that good government with a different focus can create a council that can create a new region that will benefit everybody by having an economy that is generating cash rather than debt.”

Mr Burgess comes from a business background. He said he and his wife grew a $1000 start-up into a $12 million a year wholesale movie and video distribution business which employed 200 people.

He said his background had given him the persistence and pragmatism necessary to change the focus of the council, which he described as “internal looking” and creating projects of its own for no community benefit.

“We need to change what the council does. Rather than being an internally focused organisation it needs to look outwards. 

“It needs to facilitate industry that we need here, west of the Bruce, to create the jobs that go along with our population growth.”

• Mr Burgess did not provide answers to the readers’ questions by deadline so we included his earlier response to the following question. 

Why should we vote for you?

Mr Burgess’s response: 

The new council must reduce borrowing & slash spending on “Special Projects” to return money to services &, particularly in the Hinterland, neglected infrastructure. 

The focus of economic development in the region must change from “boom bust” building in the Glitter Strip to diverse local energy production, compatible industry & high-value niche agriculture centred on Nambour. 

They must lobby hard to get the rail to Nambour duplication completed & grab any other infrastructure grants. 

A pool for Maleny would be nice!