Mayoral candidates clash over issues at business debate
RED tape, planning and recycled water were among the key issues raised by the Toowoomba region’s mayoral candidates at a special debate today.
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SMALL business red tape, sustainable planning and recycled water were among the key issues raised by the Toowoomba region’s mayoral candidates at a special debate today.
Incumbent Paul Antonio went up against both his rivals, former lawyer Chris Meibusch and Oakey man Douglas Doelle, for the first time in public at the event hosted by the Toowoomba Chamber of Commerce.
While chamber CEO and moderator Todd Rohl was keen to keep the focus on issues affecting Toowoomba small businesses, the forum quickly moved into a variety of areas that included the viability of the Toowoomba economy and the controversial Defence Housing Australia project at Mount Lofty.
Mr Meibusch, who was a major campaigner with the Save Mount Lofty group against the development, used his eight-minute address to take aim at council over its “back room deals” with developers.
“My mayoral campaign is focused on the need for the council to show full transparency in all dealings with residents and developers,” he said.
“Council shouldn’t be afraid to have hard discussions with developers and potential investors, so they know they’re welcome to this region, but they’ll need to pay their own way.”
He also argued the council should drop its financial support for lobby group Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise and instead donate to the chamber.
“I fail to see why the Toowoomba Regional Council continues to fund the TSBE organisation to the tune of $500,000 and the exclusion of other advocacy groups, like the Darling Downs Environment Council and the Chamber of Commerce,” he said.
Cr Antonio used his time to argue the region’s economy was prosperous and diverse, along with pushing for the fast passenger rail concept and more local procurement strategies.
“We’re in an area of tremendous progress,” he said.
“We are constantly committed to make sure we reduce red tape and make things easier for those who are working
“Have a look at the bypass and the airport, the fast train proposal – that came out of a collaborative effort by the Council of Mayors in South East Queensland, of which I am deputy chair.”
He also acknowledged the ongoing struggles for small businesses in the region’s surrounding towns, proposing a $5 million a year investment into building resilience.
Mr Doelle made a short speech promising to keep small businesses in townships like Clifton and Oakey, and arguing against “unnecessary projects”.
During debate, Mr Meibusch and the mayor frequently clashed over the actual strength of the economy, with the former saying the true state of the region was being “misrepresented”.
“To say our economy is bouncing is a total misrepresentation of the facts,” he said.
“In Toowoomba, we know we’ve seen significant job losses with the completion of the Toowoomba Bypass, the ongoing drought and poor business sentiment.
“Let’s wait for that to flow into our local real estate market and see whether this economy is bouncing for everyone.”
In response, Cr Antonio said reports from local real estate agencies actually pointed in the opposite direction.
“We have had economic growth for 10 years at an average level of 3.9 per cent — can anyone tell me any other region that’s done better than that?” he said.
“There are plenty of buyers coming into Toowoomba, and Ray White (say that they) can’t get enough houses to list.”
Both candidates agreed the city needed a new stadium to attract tourists but differed on whether to develop within the city or in the western suburbs.
Mr Doelle became most animated when a question was raised over recycled water, saying, “you might as well treat us like a mob of dogs — just go and drink out of the toilet”.
Both Mr Meibusch and Cr Antonio spoke in favour of an eventual transition to recycled water use.
The Chamber of Commerce’s council candidate forum will be held at the Burke and Wills Hotel on Thursday from 5.30pm.