PRIORITIES:

A sound strategic plan that caters for the population growth of over 60,000 people within the next decade. This includes carefully planning the infrastructure required and an urban plan that can cope with this influx of new arrivals.

Revitalise the Technology Park plan. The strategy for Bathurst to be a technology hub as been around for nearly two decades. Information technology is our future as more and more jobs are created in this space. Bathurst is ideally placed to be home to numerous IT company's, hardware and component manufacturers, software developers, virtual realty creators, AI, and Robotic Manufacturers. This means that our kids and our grandkids wont have to travel to a major cities to gain work and experience in the IT Industry. CSU already has a world class Computer Science Degree so as students graduate they can hop across the road and be gainfully employed. In essence it could be our own Silicon valley.

Promote, promote, promote! We need to sell the benefits of visiting Bathurst both nationally and globally. We would establish a professional marketing hub similar to Orange 360 to promote tourism, our heritage, hospitality and business. We are open for business and we would look to cut the red tape in relation to DA applications as Bathurst Council is getting a reputation of being to hard to deal with and we are starting to miss out on too many opportunities to attract and bring other businesses here.

BIMC: After my interview with 2BS, where I had been a little negative towards the Bathurst Integrated Medical Centre, (BIMC), I have had several conversations with a number of stakeholders. They had a variety of different perspectives. They shared with me the positives and negatives of the development. After those discussions the positives far outweighed the negatives and I am now 100% for the development.

Another more personal reason that changed my mind is where our healthcare system lets us down badly in Bathurst. When I have had my heart attacks I was taken to Bathurst Base Hospital where the staff looked after me extremely well until I was stabilized. Because we don't have the heart specialists here I was transferred to Orange to have my stents put in. When I had my Aortic Dissection I was taken to Westmead Hospital where they saved my life. Again we don't have that expertise in Bathurst. The strain it put on my family because of them having to travel to either Orange or Sydney was incredible and I don't want other families having to go through that.

I am very grateful to the Westmead staff for saving my life but the worse thing was when I was discharged. I was discharged at 4.30pm in the afternoon even though they knew I lived in Bathurst. My wife was in a state of exhaustion and it would have been dangerous for her to drive to Sydney to pick me up. A mate offered to pick me up and arrived at Westmead at 8pm at night. I was still in a bad way and I felt every bump on the drive home. If anything had happened on the way home my friend would have been ill equipped to handle it and there was the potential I could have had an episode and died.

We badly need this medical centre and as a Council we have to put pressure on the State Government to ensure they invest in our health needs in our fast growing city of Bathurst and not be left behind.

My final point is, if elected, I am always openminded to others perspectives and I will listen and discuss any issue that arises. I can compromise if required and work towards an agreement that is in the best interests of Bathurst.

WATER SECURITY: To drought proof Bathurst. As we almost ran out of water not that long ago we need to ensure that our water supply is constant and support a population of at least 60,000 even through the worst droughts. Our strategy includes water harvesting, a water pipeline, and lifting the level of the dam wall. There are potentially State Government funding to assist with this and possibly private investment as well.

RIVER CROSSING: Absolutely, this should have been done a decade ago when it would have been much cheaper. You can't keep developing residential housing in the one area without putting in the infrastructure to cope with it. I would have it running in from Rankin Street which also means another bridge. The Hereford Bridge also needs to be lifted so that it doesn't go under in a flood again. This is a priority project that should have been completed years ago.

AMBULANCE STATION: I would love to see a 5-6 star restaurant there. It is a magnificent building that we need to preserve and look after.

GO-KART TRACK: Yes, I would support a Go-Cart track at that location but it needs to be mostly privately funded. The State Government maybe able to assist. I don't believe it should cost rate-payers. If the second track gets up and running it could be added in the budget for that.

RATES CAP: Rate payers pay enough. I would be looking at other ways to fund the infrastructure backlog. If Council promoted Bathurst effectively we could make money by attracting tourists to our many attractions. For example, our Fossil Museum, Art Gallery, and Car Museum could all be much more profitable and I have a number of simple strategies to do that.

BUSINESS COMMUNITY: This is very simple. Councillors and other relevant Council staff just need to show up to Business Chamber meetings and events and engage with Business Owners. Council could also assist by not having Economic Development sitting under planning as it should have its own Director with a strong team under them. Just having two staff in such a critical area is inadequate. As a Council we could also provide a Grant Writer to assist the Chamber and also its members to apply for relevant Government Grants. The Business Chamber needs funding to support a full-time Marketing and Events Coordinator to help grow the membership of the Chamber.

WOMEN'S VOICE: Firstly, by consulting on a regular basis with women leaders in our community, Secondly. By ensuring that the Council Chamber is a welcoming place for everyone especially women. We want to encourage as many women as possible to stand for Council. Respect your fellow Councillors. There should zero tolerance of bullying behaviour and personal attacks on fellow Councillors. Play the ball and not the person.

COUNCIL DIVISIONS: I welcome different perspectives on issues because that ensures we have much more information to help us make better decisions. I may not agree with someone's point of view but I will respectfully listen to them. I already get on well with many candidates that are standing this year. We all have the same goal in mind, which is to do the best we can for Bathurst.

FUNDING: I am fully self-funded.