Campaign video (10 min) Tourism and general Policies 12th February 2008
Hello, I am Neil Clarke, Mayor of the
Johnstone Shire during Tropical Cyclone Larry in March, 2006 and I am standing for Mayor of the Cassowary Coast Regional Council
in the 15th March, 2008 Local Government elections.
I have lived in Far North Queensland for
virtually all of my life and am passionate about creating a sustainable and prosperous future for the people of the Cassowary
Coast Region. I was schooled in Mission Beach and Tully and completed my secondary education at Townsville Grammar.
I have had a strong association with the
agricultural industry from my first appointment on the Babinda Cane Pest and Disease Control Board to Supervisor with the
South Johnstone Cane Protection and Productivity Board, a position I held for twenty- eight years.
In 2000, I furthered my interest in primary
industries through my appointment as the Innisfail/Cairns Sales Representative for a major carton supplier to the banana,
tropical fruit and fishing industries.
I have been married to Yvonne for thirty
years and we have two adult children, Leigh, a State High School teacher in Townsville and Craig, a Boilermaker Site Foreman
for Tedesco Engineering in Innisfail. Yvonne is a Tully born CPA qualified Accountant, currently owner manager of Brandor
Business Services in Innisfail and previously Manager of Finance with Cardwell Shire Council in Tully.
I have a keen sense of civic duty and
have served five terms in Council after I was initially elected in 1988. During my terms in Local Government office, I have
been selected by Councillors as the Deputy Mayor for three terms.
In addition to my normal council duties
as the Mayor, I have been involved with the following:
Johnstone Shire Local Disaster Management Group (Chairman
during Tropical Cyclone Larry in March, 2006)
Corporate and Special Finance, Planning and Building,
Health and also Recreation Committees
Mission Beach Marine Board and Johnstone and Cardwell
Shires Joint Facilities Advisory Committee (JACJFAC) - Joint Chairman
Member of FNQ Regional Organisation of Councils, Mourilyan
Harbour Trade Development, Australian Sugar Museum Committee
Johnstone Shire Pest Management Working Group (Chairman)
Qld. Local Authority Airport Operators Assoc. (Past
President)
Community Voluntary Contribution:
Calender Park (Ground Announcer) for over thirty years.
Innisfail District Senior and Junior Rugby League
Innisfail Lions Club (Current secretary) for nine years.
Red Cross, Salvation Army and Queensland Cancer Fund
(Collection Officer)
Wangan Sports Club, Coconuts Outrigger Canoe Club, Innisfail
Cowboys Junior Rugby League and Innisfail District Ballet and Dance Society (Patron)
Driver Reviver (Volunteer)
Innisfail Show – Sugar Cane Section (Steward)
Tully Show– Sugar Cane Section (Judge) for 21
years
Blood Donor - 80 donations
Currently, in addition to my community voluntary contributions
I have been involved in the following:
Consultant specialising in Local and State Government
Departmental issues
Member of the Johnstone Shire Community Reference Group,
Tropical Cyclone Larry Appeal Distribution Committee, Tropical Weeds Management Committee
Chairman of Johnstone Shire Pest Management Advisory
Group
I am committed to playing an active role
in the sustainable economic development of the Region and believe the Region has much to offer investors, visitors and in
particular it’s residents. Unlike most of Australia, the Cassowary Coast Region has abundant, clean, fresh water; we
need to promote this to the rest of the nation.
Our community know they don’t want
to be another Port Douglas, Airlie Beach, Gold Coast or even another Noosa from development. We want to retain our low impact,
nature based communities. If I am re-elected I will introduce a wet and dry waste service for the whole Cassowary Coast to
encourage recycling and reduce waste going to landfill.
I intend to introduce a whole of region
Water Saving Rebate policy with rebates on Water Tanks, Retrofitting dual flush cisterns, Triple A rated shower roses and
4 star washing machines. Because we have ample water doesn’t mean we should waste it.
TC Larry has given our region a profile
no money could have paid for and this has resulted in an unprecedented interest in our area especially from people wanting
to come here to live.
My Disaster Management experience has
been widely recognized, having been invited to speak at two regional conferences and I will be one of the keynote speakers
at the 2008 International Crisis and Emergency Management Conference.
I am not party political aligned so therefore
can and will work with all State and Federal elected representatives.
My decisions will be based on the principle
of "Fairness and Equitable".
I would hope whatever the result of next years Local
Government elections the incoming Council will treat the Community and the Environment with the respect they deserve.
