Gary Chestnut - Group A New Independents

Running with: Ferran Thornycroft and Lisa Wriley

Q. What do you consider to be the most important issue facing the Ward you would be elected to represent?

A. The most important issue facing the Ward is the lack of local jobs.

Historically the previous Councillors gave incentives to developers to build high rise in Gosford.

The only outcome was developers made bigger profits.

I would redirect and implement incentives to existing small business and start-up companies.

Q. What do you consider to be the most important issue facing the Central Coast Local Government Area?

A. The most important issue facing the Council is the ongoing saga with Mangrove Mountain Landfill.

As an elected Councillor, I would be able to inform the elected Councillors on matters that I am not able to discuss publically.

Once informed I believe the Council can then make an informed decision on the best way forward.

In my opinion the only way forward is for the Council to support a Commission of Inquiry.

A Commission of Inquiry will enable any backroom deals or confidential information to be made public.

But more importantly recommendations can be presented on what needs to happen to clean up the site and ensure mistakes that have happened in the past are not repeated in the future.

Q. How would you, if elected to Council, set about addressing that issue for (a) your Ward, (b) the region?

A. I believe you need to set aside party politics and egos and work with whoever is elected for the benefit of all residents of the Central Coast.

You need to listen to different viewpoints, probe and find out the facts.

The newly-elected Councillors need to build trust amongst themselves but more importantly trust with the Community.

Decisions need to be made in open Council for the benefit of all residents.

SOURCE:

Statement, 31 Aug 2017

Gary Chestnut, New Independents