Personal Details
What is your:
Name? Cynthia McDonald
Age? 50
Suburb of residence? Rodgers Creek
Background
How long have you lived in the Southern Downs?
My husband’s family lived in the region, and we were looking for a cattle property in Southern Queensland to raise our family closer to them, as we at the time were living in the NSW Mid North Coast.
When was the last time you lived away from the region and why?
We purchased our property ‘Wingarrra’ in 2017, and have lived in the Southern Downs since.
Campaign General
What has prompted you to run for council?
When we arrived in the Southern Downs, we were immediately confronted with one of Australia’s worst droughts in 100 years. It was a community in need that inspired me to move to local politics after initially putting all of my effort into drought relief.
What is your assessment of the current council?
The current Southern Downs Regional Council is in need of solid leadership and a cultural change to improve outcomes for ratepayers. I believe that elected officials are marginalised by the bureaucratic nature of SDRC, and that this must be rectified.
At this stage what is the main thing you offer: residents as a whole/ratepayers?
An independent voice who stands for the people, and is not afraid to be open and accountable with respect to council decisions.
Are there specific differences in approach for:
Particular suburbs/towns in the region?
I strongly believe that we are one region, but we also need to consider the unique requirements of each community. SDRC is here to support both the larger towns of Warwick and Stanthorpe, but equally distribute services to those in the regional towns and communities which are the backbone of our region.
Rural landholders?
There is no one size fits all approach to our agricultural needs, as the needs of our fruit and vegetable horticulturalists differ from those of broad acre cropping, cattle and sheep producers. SDRC policies must address all of their requirements.
What are some of the big issues currently facing the region and how do you propose to address them?
1. Cost of Living. Our region has recently had property values reassessed by the Qld Valuer General and this has seen a significant increase in rates for most property owners. SDRC must ensure that residents are not overburdened by rates and consider impacts of future increases.
2. Further progress with water security for urban and agricultural users,
3. Stage two of the Warwick Saleyards development,
4. Closer community relations with police to work towards crime reduction,
5. Lobby for more social housing
6. Develop more industries
If elected, how do you promise to generate real change which improves the livelihoods of residents living in the Southern Downs?
I believe over the past four years I have demonstrated my commitment to our community and their views. Without the correct leadership, I can’t promise you the results you need. We need a community who will stand for change and want it, now.
