Mission Beach Local launches "JD for
3" Campaign
10 min Video - Mission Beach Tourism meeting 12th February 2008
Tully and Mission Beach local Jennifer Downs has announced
her "JD for 3" Campaign as a candidate for Division 3 in the Cassowary Coast Regional Council elections to be
held on March 15th 2008.
Jennifer is very excited to have the opportunity to
play a role in moving our beautiful region forward to a progressive, consultative and community-oriented local authority area.
Jennifer will run on a platform of communication, consultation
and inclusion which focuses on the issues she has identified as being most important to the area:
Sustainable Regional Development
Infrastructure and Roads
Sport, Recreation and Leisure
Strengthening Communities.
Trained in communication skills and conflict
resolution, Jennifer believes the way forward for the new Cassowary Coast Regional Council (CCRC) is by Councillors and the
newly enlarged electorate working together, fairly sharing resources, and by listening to the community to really understand
exactly what their needs are.
Jennifer spent her childhood living in
Cairns and Tully (her dad was an accountant in Tully in the late 60’s) and after living in Brisbane, returned with her
husband Lex to live at Wongaling Beach and to be closer to her children, grandchildren and extended family.
She has been self employed for 14 years,
and have consulted to businesses of all sizes – from nationally recognised to small local businesses in Leadership,
Customer Service and Professional Development.
Jennifer understands, having raised a
family and run a business, that prudent financial management is going to be critical to this region’s future stability
and success. Jennifer completed postgraduate Management Studies at Queensland University of Queensland in 2002.
In 2004, Jennifer was the founding President
of the Tropic Coast Business Women’s Network. She is still active in the Network and is currently heading up a committee
to run the Gala Business Awards for the Cardwell, Mission Beach, Tully and El Arish region later this year.
Following Cyclone Larry Jennifer assisted
badly hit business community members by taking on role with the FNQ ACC helping with funding applications and business advice
to help re-build confidence and the local economy.
"I am proud to stand as a
Candidate for the Cassowary Coast Regional Council. If elected, I will give my best to represent all the people of Division
3." I can be contacted on Mobile: 0412 079 944 Home: 4068 8005 or email:
jendowns@bigpond.com.
" JD for 3 "
Jennifer Downs spent her childhood in the north, living
in Cairns and Tully (her dad was an accountant in Tully in the late 60’s) and after a stint in Brisbane, with her husband
Lex returned to live at Wongaling Beach for the lifestyle and because her three grown up children and their spouses have the
good sense to live in this beautiful region. Her sister and brother-in-law also live in the area. Jennifer believes that this
is the ideal place to raise a family – and loves the fact that her two grandsons will enjoy their childhood right here
– doing all the things that we locals love and living in a caring community environment.
She is an excellent communicator, trained in communication
skills and conflict resolution and believes that the way forward for the new Cassowary Coast Regional Council (CCRC) is by
a process of Councillors and the newly enlarged electorate working together, fairly sharing resources, and by listening to
the community to really understand exactly what their needs are.
"I have been a self employed owner operator of my Training
Consultancy for 14 years, and have consulted to businesses of all sizes – from nationally recognised to small local
businesses. My areas of expertise are Leadership and Customer Service Training and Professional Development. Prior to that
I worked for 15 years for 2 very large companies promoting Customer Service and staff training and development."
Jennifer also understands, having raised a family and
run a business, that prudent financial management is going to be critical to this region’s future stability and success.
Jennifer completed postgraduate Management Studies at Queensland University of Queensland in 2002.
In 2004, Jennifer was the founding President of
the Tropic Coast Business Women’s Network. She is still active in the Network and is currently heading up a committee
to run the Gala Business Awards for the Cardwell, Mission Beach, Tully and El Arish region later this year. Jennifer has always
suggested that the women in the business network consider themselves as one big region saying ‘we are all customers
of each other and we must support one another to maintain strong business confidence in our region’.
Following Cyclone Larry, and as someone not as impacted
upon as others in the area, Jennifer felt the need to help community members who were badly affected. Jennifer took on a full
time role with the FNQ ACC and helped small business owners in our area with funding applications and business advice which
helped re-build confidence and the local economy.
Jennifer’s platform for standing as a Divisional Councillor will be based around the issues she feels
will affect the Cassowary Coast Regional Council ratepayers most over the next four years and beyond.
Sustainable Regional Development – We need a comprehensive regional economic development plan to be commissioned
as soon as possible after 17 March 2008. This is a vital step to identify opportunities which will bring employment, tourism,
learning and other associated economic activities (like funding opportunities) to the area.
Infrastructure and Roads
– A priority infrastructure audit is required to ensure
the incoming Council know exactly what the need and costs will be on bridges, roads, water and sewerage going forward. This
will be a huge issue for the CCRC and one that has long-term ramifications if we don’t act from on informed position
from Council commencement.
Sport, Recreation and Leisure – I will push hard in Council to encourage the attraction of funding
to act upon the outcomes of the recent Sports Recreation and Open Space plans both outgoing Councils have recently commissioned.
These reports are comprehensive and have sound recommendations for the future of sport, recreation and leisure going forward.
Strengthening Communities
– Opportunities for employment, identified in the regional
economic development plan, will bring families to our community. For too long the Mission Beach area has been seen as a retirement
settlement for higher income earners. I want to encourage families to stay in the area and will investigate all options available
promote the area to families.
‘I am proud to stand as a Candidate for the Cassowary Coast Regional Council. I feel as though all the experience I
have so far generated in my life has been leading me to this moment. I will give my best to represent all the people of Division
3 – Cowley, Cowley Beach, El Arish, Sandy Pocket, Kurrimine Beach, Bingil Bay, Clump Point, Mission Beach, Wongaling
Beach, South Mission Beach, and Dunk Island’.
I can be contacted on mobile: 0412 079 944 Home: 4068
8005 or email: jendowns@bigpond.com.
Last Updated: 13th February 2008
