Q. How long have you been on Council?
I was first elected to Cairns City Council in 2000 in a four way contest for Division 1, which is the large rural division on the southern side of Cairns. A subsequent election in 2004 saw me returned with 78 per cent of the votes in a two way contest. I was then elected unopposed in the 2008 election, when Cairns City and Douglas Shire were amalgamated by the State Government.
Q. Why did you become involved in Local Government?
I firmly believed I had something to offer my community after our children had left home to pursue their careers. I had been heavily involved in sports, school activities, health issues and farming activities (I am a sugar cane farmer), and being a born and bred local, I was keen to offer whatever skills I had to make a difference. Local Government appeared the perfect choice, and I have no regrets in making the life changing choice I did.
Q. What makes your council area special or different?
Cairns is a spectacular city, and is the centrepiece of a stunning sweep of northern Queensland. The Local Government boundaries of Cairns Regional Council capture the area between the Daintree and beyond to the north, and the top of the Great Dividing Range to the west. In the south, it borders Cassowary Coast Regional Council, just north of Innisfail.
Cairns Regional Council has Queensland’s three highest mountains within its boundaries, as well as World Heritage areas, and is the wettest place in Australia. Consequently, rain forest and tropical rivers and streams abound. In addition our tourism hotspots of the Great Barrier Reef, Cairns, Port Douglas and the Daintree benefit from this stunning mix of natural features. We are a linear city with a population of about 170,000, made up of Cairns itself and other smaller centres to the north and south based on rural activities such as sugar, tropical fruits and bananas, to name a few.
Q. What impact did the recent Cyclone Yasi have on your council area? How is it recovering?
Cyclone Yasi impacted less on Cairns Regional Council than Cyclone Larry did five years ago. Yasi left crop and vegetation damage, but little structural damage. We have had heavy rain with few breaks since September last year, and this extended wet season has impacted on our tourism sector, the sugar cane industry and has left the riparian areas of our many streams and rivers both damaged and vulnerable. The cyclones of the past five years have also damaged the rain forest, which will take some time to recover. Work is being done on the natural landscape to give nature a helping hand where possible, but a quick look at damage done to our immediate southern neighbours, including Cassowary Coast Regional Council clearly shows what might have been if Yasi had made landfall 100 kilometres to the north.
Q. What innovative projects or policies is Council working on?
One of the three tiers in our Corporate Plan is the desire to be innovative. A Tropical Innovation Award has been launched to promote and reward such pursuits in our region. We are using available technology to address rising electricity costs, for example, and we are working towards a goal of ensuring development is done with a weather eye on the prospect that sea levels could rise if climate change predictions eventuate. Tropical design of new buildings is encouraged, which allow the added bonus of being able to enjoy our naturally beautiful panoramas while saving on cooling costs in summer.
Q. What issues are important to you?
I am passionate about living in this part of the country. I want to be able to look back in later years and see that orderly development has taken place, and the natural beauty and values of our region are still clearly evident. Therefore, long term planning that provides the opportunities for families who are proud to call this place home is high on my agendaI am acutely aware that people have lived here for thousands of years, and the relationship that we share with the land is in turn a shared responsibility, and one that has been enjoyed by others in the past; therefore I believe we have a custodial role for future generations. I understand that my roles as a councillor and a farmer give me a special opportunity to have an influence on these beliefs.
Mayor Melva Hobson, Redland City Council, Qld
Q: How long have you been on Council?
Three years (elected March 2008).
Q: Why did you become involved in Local Government?
I have always been interested in my community, and as a Redlands resident, I was concerned about the direction the Council of the day was taking. I felt some of the elected members at the time were no longer listening to the community, and that the things we all love about the Redlands – our lifestyle, environment and sense of community – were under threat. I believed I could make a difference, which is why I ran for Mayor in 2008.
Q: Tell us about your Local Government area. What makes it special?
Redland City is part of southeast Queensland – close to Brisbane and the Gold Coast – and includes a number of Moreton Bay Islands, including the much loved North Stradbroke Island. We’ve got a wonderfully rich combination of island, mainland, coastal and hinterland areas, all close to each other. I own a property on Macleay Island, and love spending time in and on Moreton Bay. Aside from its natural beauty, Redland City also has a highly active and engaged community that is incredibly passionate about our mainland and islands. So my favourite thing about the Redlands is the combination of its natural beauty and the intensity of our community spirit.
Q: What does your background as a geography teacher and Landcare education officer bring to your council role? Has it increased your focus on environmental management?
Having tertiary qualifications in geography and the social sciences has certainly been a great advantage for me in my role as Mayor, given our city has rapidly growing urban areas within an environment that includes bushland and marine environments, diverse native flora and fauna and a significant remnant urban koala population. For me, it’s vital that we, as public policy makers, fully understand the relationships between the different elements of our islands and mainland.
Whether it is balancing growth with a commitment to sustainable development, addressing the social needs of community or supporting the economic activity of ambitions of our main street businesses, it is no longer sufficient to view decisions and their impacts in isolation. My professional background helps me to see the larger picture, particularly in the context of an engaged community wanting to have a say.
Q: What other issues are important to you?
Building a strong economy in the Redlands is a priority for me, and ensuring Council sets its priorities and budgets in a way that takes into account the community’s capacity to pay. Every year, the cost of living keeps rising, and every year when we are making decisions about rates, fees and charges we have to balance the need and expectations of our ratepayers with the increasing pressure on household budgets.
Q: Redland Councillors recently rejected a pay rise recommended by the State Government. How do you feel about this and why did you collectively make that decision?
With the cost of living rising on a range of fronts, we know there are many in our community experiencing financial difficulty. The Councillors and I are very sensitive to the needs in our community and while not undervaluing the role Councillors play in managing the city and meeting locals’ needs and expectations – we realise ratepayers don’t want to see their elected representatives accepting pay rises while others in the community are struggling.
