Personal Details
What is your name?
Lindsay Goodwin
Age?
70
Suburb?
Junabee
Background
How long have you lived in the Southern Downs?
34 years
What was the last time you lived away from the region and why?
I moved away with my parents when I was three and have been here ever since returning in 1990.
Campaign General
What has prompted you to run for Mayor?
I have always been interested in local government and our community and I ran for mayor in 2012. I was unsuccessful, but this experience helped me grow as a person to now be able to offer the Southern Downs residents a fresh approach to a more cohesive council. Advocate for the marginalised at a state and federal level to improve living conditions for families struggling with the rental crisis, homeless, elderly and youth. Also to help make the ratepayers money work for them, offer more efficiency across all application processes and more cost-effective solutions reducing legal fees and cutting red tape. And also keeping our tourism strong and vibrant.
What is your assessment of the current council?
There are some talented people in the council who are just looking for strong leadership. But also, I see rates that aren’t delivering the required services to the community.
At this stage the main thing you offer:
Residents as a whole?
Strong leadership, with a focus on strong connections between council and community.
Ratepayers?
To have services that reflect their needs.
Are there specific differences in approach for:
Particular suburbs/towns in the region?
Equal treatment for all is important to me. We all come from different backgrounds and cultures. I will be available and plan to visit different towns each month to meet with residents to hear their concerns.
Rural landholders?
Better council services with a focus on roads.
Civic Cooperation
Are relationships with other levels of Government problematic? If so which ones and how will you address it?
The three levels of Government have both exclusive and concurrent powers.
How will you seek to unite the council in the face of growing councillor misconduct complaints?
I will be sure to look into all complaints and promptly address the issues as they arise.
Infrastructure
Secure relevant state and federal funding to address our aging infrastructure. Current priorities lie in ensuring the security of the region’s water supply.
How I plan to solve the issue is to facilitate stakeholder meetings with the Toowoomba Regional Council to ensure where our water supply will come from and facilitate stakeholder state meetings to look at their strategic plan for the future supply of water to our region.
What is my assessment of council roads and civic infrastructure?
Our roads require addressing. This will be discussed with the CEO and length in a way that aims to not increase rates.
Growth
How do you plan to foster growth for the region?
Council efficiency: Easier application process
Tourism: Keep it going strong and support new initiatives
Economic Growth: Keep overheads to a minimum
Business Growth: Look after local businesses small and large. While promoting other businesses to come into the region.
We need to make Warwick “The place to come” to invest.
Cost
What is the cost to ratepayers of your promises?
I aim to increase our revenue and reduce overhead costs, connect the waste water pipe on Canningvale Rd, liaison with carbon credits stakeholders and be active in trying to secure state and federal funding for infrastructure, tourism and economic growth.
