Nurse candidate accepts virus protections but laments construction health hazards

A nurse candidate for council in southeast Queensland urged democracy to continue but forewarned of health perils posed by excessive development.

A NURSE candidate for council says voting is safe today should residents follow government guidelines but warned of the health effects of unchecked development.

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Redlands candidate for council in Division 2 Irene Henley made quick trips to Cleveland State School and Cleveland District State High School this morning but said it was best for candidates to stay away during what has become a local election heavily impacted by the coronavirus.

“It is going forward because the chief medical officer assessed the situation and recommended it was safe to go ahead when using all of the precautions that have been put in place,” Ms Henley said.

Nurse and candidate for Redland City Council Division 2 Irene Henley.

“And not having all us candidates and volunteers at polling booths has been a huge success in regards to the safety of our residents and the Electoral Commission Queensland staff.

“I have been reminding people to keep their mouths to the side when speaking with one another.

“Don’t go direct because it is transferred by talking through droplets.

“I did do the Australian Government Health Department infection control training for coronavirus so I am much more astutely aware of how it transmits and what the symptoms are.”

The nurse and businesswoman is taking on incumbent Peter Mitchell for the Cleveland and North Stradbroke Island region and warned of the health perils posed by rampant development.

Polling booths at Cleveland State School eerily quiet amid coronavirus outbreak. Picture: Kara Sonter

“Children exposed to construction over long periods of time will have their physical and mental health affected,” Ms Henley said.

“If we do continue with significant construction we need to work with the universities for research to look at the health of our population now and how it is exposed to construction and building.”

The nurse also held strong concerns over the proliferation of buildings in the works at the bayside CBD.

“The wetlands at the proposed Toondah Harbour site are protected by Ramsar treaty and it is very important for us to protect that,” Ms Henley said.

“And we have many buildings going up in Cleveland at the moment; we’ve got a five-storey aged care building going up just behind the council, there may be something going up next to the train station and more and when you look at all of that the 3600 units at Toondah is not required.

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“We are now waiting for a decision to come down from the Federal Government but I do have strategies in place for whether the project goes ahead or not.”