Meet candidates in Moreton Bay City Council Division 11 by-election

Name: Ellie Smith

Party: Independent

Suburb: Camp Mountain

Top 3 issues to address:

• Fix congestion and improve transport options: Division 11's transport needs attention. Whether it's the Narangba rail crossing, public transport options for Samford and Dayboro or maintenance on our rural roads. Active transport is also key, with protected bike and walking tracks to schools, shops and stations.
• Better planning: I love where we live and like so many of you, I want to see our way of life protected. This includes ensuring our kids have affordable homes to move into and a lifestyle equal to or better than we have now. Housing growth needs to be done intelligently with planning for infrastructure and services upfront.
• Integrity and community voice: Division 11 deserves a representative that will turn up, listen and act, whether the news is good or bad and will fight for the issues people in our region care about. I have committed to regular mobile offices, community round tables and to be available on social media. I'll be a representative for our whole division not one part and I'll be responsive to the issues I hear from the community.

Name: Dean Clements

Party: Independent

Suburb: Samford Valley

Top 3 issues to address:

• Keeping rates low: by getting back to basics and delivering the services you want at a price ratepayers can afford and fighting to keep discounted rates for pensioners and self-funded retirees.
• Easing traffic congestion: by accelerating much-needed road upgrades; responsible development - we love our area but can’t love it to death. I’ll fight for infrastructure before population and proper scrutiny on every development application; restoring our natural environment – by supercharging the work of volunteers and passionate conservationists who look after our creeks, parks and reserves.
• Cracking down on crime and anti-social behaviour: by deploying mobile CCTV cameras to deter troublemakers on e-scooters and dirt bikes from terrorising our quiet streets and neighbourhood parks. Our community is a great place to live, work and raise a family, but our lifestyle is at risk. Rising costs are making it hard for families to make ends meet, local roads are not coping with growth and anti-social behaviour is occurring right on our doorstep.

Name: Carl Enchelmaier

Party: Independent, although I hold membership in the ALP.

Suburb: Morayfield

Top 3 issues to address:

• Advocating for action on the Main Street level crossing in Narangba. The rapid development in the area is making the traffic situation untenable during peak times.
• Lobbying Translink for a feasibility study for public transport to Dayboro. With 50c fares making the bus a much cheaper option I think it is time to review it.
• Lobbying for the building of the planned new clubhouse for the Narangba Eagles football club. The project is ready to go we just need to see action on the remaining funding.

Name: Mal Gibson

Party: Independent

Suburb: Wights Mountain

Top 3 issues to address:

• A council more focused on serving the needs of residents. We have a diverse range of small communities in Division 11 and the council needs to understand and meet their unique needs.
• Better investment in our community for the rates we pay. Community groups, whether they be sports, arts, social, cultural or service help to build stronger, healthier and happier communities. Some of our community groups are in much need of support for basic facilities.
• The provision of new public infrastructure before population growth. This division has experienced enormous growth over the last decade and unfortunately infrastructure has not kept up with that growth. We need to improve road, bike way and footpath accessibility to schools, transport hubs and other community facilities.

Name: Clayton Connor

Party: Independent

Suburb: Mt Glorious

Top 3 issues to address:

• The communities are growing and with this so are the needs for safe play areas, understanding the road issues (current conditions, potholes and congestion) which make them unsafe, such as the Narangba rail crossing.
• I will work face-to-face with residents and their association advocates to ensure I, as the division’s advocate, understand the issues at grass-roots level. I will then communicate these to Moreton Bay City Council and ensure a strategic plan is not only costed, but meets what is required. I have spent most of my adult life serving my country and intend to serve my division and communities in the same manner.
• I will be an advocate for transparency on budget spending and ensure funds are targeted to meet the community requirements. I will also advocate for a fund allocation to each resident association to provide a level of autonomy (reduce red tape and time delays). Through this fund, the association will have the power to decide where the funds are spent. I will work for all the communities across Division 11.

Name: Paul Smith

Party: Independent

Suburb: Armstrong Creek

Top 3 issues to be addressed:

• Financial: with a $1 billion annual budget, large annual rate increases and the spending boom of the Olympics coming up, we need to have someone experienced and qualified on council. I’ve been an accountant and auditor for almost 20 years and will keep an eye on council spending, advocate for accountability and transparency, always.
• Fundamentals: I hear a lot about potholes and other road maintenance. No matter what other priorities there are, council can’t lose focus on fundamentals. Council must keep up with road maintenance and minor upgrades, safe and fun playgrounds, well provided libraries and vibrant community spaces. Big, shiny projects do not improve our lives as much as well-maintained basic council infrastructure and services do.
• Sensible planning: we need to ensure planning decisions are made with the consideration of all potential impacts. We can do better. We can deal with increased traffic downstream before it becomes a problem. We can plan on protecting existing wildlife corridors and ensuring adequate green space is retained, rather than rely on replanting and buybacks. Preventing problems is better and cheaper than having to fix them later.

Name: Caleb Wells

Party: Independent

Suburb: Kallangur

Top 3 issues to address:

- Housing: Insanity is that as an independent candidate, I was forced to do a course claiming that the State Government controls housing. But if I try to build anything, I need council approval. The council needs to get out of people’s properties and let them have the freedom to build the housing we need.

- Parks: Especially how utterly boring and sanitized our parks have become. The current administration seems dedicated to tearing down anything fun and replacing it with the most infantised version possible. Why would children want to play outside when it is really boring?

- Youth engagement: Especially young men. For far too long young men have been marginalised and even treated as a social problem. As a result, young men have become disconnected from society at large. Now youth crime soars and public programs suffer from low energy. Our local communities need to bring men back and respect their efforts.