'Faceless' man answers critic, says he won't run for council

OPINION: I don't seek publicity and as far as the next council goes, if I'm still here, I'm most likely to vote for Dan Stewart

'Faceless' Gympie region letter writer Dave Freeman says he will not be running for council in 2020 but he hopes plenty of fresh talent puts its hand up. Picture: Contributed

IN COMMENTS concerning the recent suggestions by The Gympie Times as to who may wish to contest council seats next year, Merv Welch noted that the lack of photo made me the "faceless man” of the line-up.

READ MORE: Who should run for Gympie council in 2020 and who should walk away

This wasn't "surely by request” as Mr Welch suggested as much as by request to be ignored in any such list as my continuing living in this area is a day to day proposition.

I don't seek publicity and as far as the next council goes, if I'm still here, I'm most likely to vote for Cr Dan Stewart as one of only a couple I'd like to survive a council purge. It may be tempting to toss the lot out but that would be risking an unworkable mess of emboldened novices.

While not one to overdo any particular issue Cr Stewart makes noise enough to show he's aware of things many people aren't happy about and in my view is the most likely to be effective in negotiating change.

If I was to contest Division 5 the small vote I'd anticipate could be enough to see Cr Stewart lose out to just another offering little past being local. To me such results have been, and remain, Gympie's single biggest problem.

Like Mr Welch I often think of "parking my pen” and maybe as I can't commit to remaining here I should. Conversely, why should I?

Merv Welch and friend at the Gympie races. Picture: LEEROY TODD

Everybody who shares the environments created and spending of rare public money by our "leaders” is a stakeholder and is entitled to an opinion. I like where I live but unfortunately Gympie town remains as I've always seen it: a town much harder to function in than any other of its size I know, and destined to become harder with growth.

Seeing what's been done in the last 30 years and observing the lack of long term plans in train I see change unlikely to come fast enough for me to grow old here with convenience and comfort.

Many, not all, of those listed in the article in question did little to change that view but maybe that in itself could flush some other newbies out to stand?

The aquatic centre was the final brick in the wall of missed opportunities (I actually use the term wall of stupid) I felt I can't live with as I returned from my last extended trip seeking alternative places to be.

Low property values and changing climate may yet see me staying here and for as long as I do I'll keep attempting to get people to question the old thinking I see failing us badly.

I'm not physically capable of doing what's required of an effective councillor but unlike some I can recognise my limitations. I don't see my photo gracing the Gympie Times would change anything, but I'll still offer my thoughts.

DAVE FREEMAN,

CEDAR POCKET

Keep reading for a statement from Gympie MP Tony Perrett on seafood labelling laws

TIME TO SUPPORT OUR LOCALLY CAUGHT SEAFOOD

It's about time common sense prevailed and the Palaszczuk Labor Government got onboard the Liberal National Party's seafood labelling laws.

Queensland is lucky enough to have some of the best fresh produce in the world, but I believe our world-class industry isn't getting the attention it deserves from the Palaszczuk Labor Government.

That's why the LNP will introduce new legislation to change seafood labelling laws if we're elected in 2020.

This will mean shops, restaurants, cafes and other businesses that sell seafood for immediate consumption must show where the seafood originated from.

A similar initiative has proved successful in the Northern Territory and I believe Queenslanders shouldn't miss out on receiving easy access to basic information which will help them make informed choices when they head to their local markets or wholesaler.

The facts are 70 per cent of seafood is currently imported into Australia and I believe consumers deserve to know where it comes from.

It's also no secret that Queensland's commercial fishing industry has been in decline over the past 20 years. Labor has been in power for the majority of those years.

Years of malicious political and ideologically driven policy has turned Queensland's once proud commercial fisheries industry into a shadow of what it once was.

It's all well and good for Fisheries Minister Furner to spruik his grand vision for the aquaculture and fisheries industries in Queensland, but a logical place to start would be empowering consumers with clear seafood labelling.

The least this State Labor Government can do is to give Queenslanders the opportunity to know where their seafood comes from and back the LNP's fair-go seafood labelling laws.

LNP Shadow Minister for Agricultural Industry, Development, Fisheries and Forestry

Tony Perrett