1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:02,960 Speaker 1: We know that the council election race is well and 2 00:00:03,120 --> 00:00:06,360 Speaker 1: truly underway. As I said, we're not going to get 3 00:00:06,360 --> 00:00:08,680 Speaker 1: the chance to speak to every candidate running for mayor 4 00:00:08,680 --> 00:00:10,920 Speaker 1: in each municipality, but we're going to try and give 5 00:00:10,920 --> 00:00:12,719 Speaker 1: you a good taste of who's running and what they 6 00:00:12,760 --> 00:00:15,760 Speaker 1: stand for. And this morning we're taking a look at 7 00:00:15,800 --> 00:00:19,840 Speaker 1: the Litchfield municipality. Now we know there are six people running, 8 00:00:19,880 --> 00:00:21,200 Speaker 1: and we're going to catch up with three of the 9 00:00:21,239 --> 00:00:24,680 Speaker 1: candidates today. They're each going to have six minutes to 10 00:00:24,760 --> 00:00:28,840 Speaker 1: answer a number of questions. And first up this morning 11 00:00:29,120 --> 00:00:32,159 Speaker 1: is the current mayor, Doug Barten. Good morning to. 12 00:00:32,240 --> 00:00:35,800 Speaker 2: You, Doug, Good morning Katie, and good morning listeners. 13 00:00:36,000 --> 00:00:39,080 Speaker 1: Now, Doug, six minutes. I've got a number of questions 14 00:00:39,120 --> 00:00:41,440 Speaker 1: to get through. We've had a couple of listener questions 15 00:00:41,520 --> 00:00:43,599 Speaker 1: as well. Are you ready to get started? 16 00:00:44,479 --> 00:00:45,400 Speaker 2: Yep, I'm ready to go. 17 00:00:45,560 --> 00:00:48,520 Speaker 1: All right, let's do it. Doug. Now tell me why 18 00:00:48,520 --> 00:00:50,320 Speaker 1: have you put your hand up to be the mayor. 19 00:00:51,600 --> 00:00:56,720 Speaker 2: I've been a counselor for six years and a mayor 20 00:00:56,760 --> 00:00:59,360 Speaker 2: for four years, which is nearly ten years. I have 21 00:00:59,480 --> 00:01:04,880 Speaker 2: plenty of experience. I've I've got a lot achieved over 22 00:01:04,920 --> 00:01:10,880 Speaker 2: the last the last ten years being mostly roads, and 23 00:01:11,040 --> 00:01:18,240 Speaker 2: we've got Mirror Square up. We've I've delivered on all 24 00:01:18,319 --> 00:01:24,000 Speaker 2: my promises that I promised in twenty twenty one, allowing 25 00:01:24,880 --> 00:01:30,320 Speaker 2: allowing question time to be be asked council meetings. We've 26 00:01:30,360 --> 00:01:33,600 Speaker 2: put a policy in at the last meeting renewing the 27 00:01:34,080 --> 00:01:39,560 Speaker 2: question time policy, so they're open and transparent. Yet. So 28 00:01:41,560 --> 00:01:44,720 Speaker 2: we've got this. We've got the Southport Roads, up guys 29 00:01:44,800 --> 00:01:48,960 Speaker 2: Creek Road, up Mead Road, We've got Kelliston Road coming 30 00:01:49,040 --> 00:01:52,400 Speaker 2: and Bee's Creek Road coming hopefully this year, if not 31 00:01:52,480 --> 00:01:58,840 Speaker 2: by by next year. Tender's a route for Tellison Road. 32 00:01:59,120 --> 00:02:03,040 Speaker 2: All our reserve We've increased our reserves by sixty or 33 00:02:03,080 --> 00:02:07,560 Speaker 2: more in funding. I was able to get the ten 34 00:02:07,600 --> 00:02:12,519 Speaker 2: million dollars pledge agreed to and that has now started 35 00:02:13,280 --> 00:02:20,080 Speaker 2: at Fred's Pass. The list goes on. So I just 36 00:02:20,120 --> 00:02:24,160 Speaker 2: want to keep on doing what I've done and make 37 00:02:24,240 --> 00:02:29,400 Speaker 2: Lichfield a better place. I also made sure that Holtz 38 00:02:29,639 --> 00:02:36,000 Speaker 2: stayed within Litchfield Council, which was a hard work. And 39 00:02:37,000 --> 00:02:41,000 Speaker 2: we've got the aged care coming up. I've talked to 40 00:02:41,400 --> 00:02:44,120 Speaker 2: all the federal ministers and some of the territory ministers 41 00:02:44,160 --> 00:02:48,880 Speaker 2: in reference to making sure that they spend the money 42 00:02:48,880 --> 00:02:51,880 Speaker 2: that they have promised. We won't we won't be putting 43 00:02:51,880 --> 00:02:54,840 Speaker 2: any money. Well, I don't. We won't be putting any money. 44 00:02:54,840 --> 00:02:58,960 Speaker 2: And that's an advocacy project and. 45 00:02:58,960 --> 00:03:01,679 Speaker 1: Dug in terms of and we're asking all the candidates this, 46 00:03:01,840 --> 00:03:05,840 Speaker 1: what qualifications or work experience do you have which you 47 00:03:05,919 --> 00:03:08,760 Speaker 1: think makes you best place for the position. Obviously you've 48 00:03:08,760 --> 00:03:11,799 Speaker 1: said there you've been on council for the last ten years. 49 00:03:12,600 --> 00:03:17,480 Speaker 2: Before I joined council, I was an earth moving contractor 50 00:03:18,080 --> 00:03:22,080 Speaker 2: working in the gold mines at Pine Creek, Hays Creek 51 00:03:22,160 --> 00:03:28,200 Speaker 2: out on the Victoria Highway out towards the border between 52 00:03:28,360 --> 00:03:35,840 Speaker 2: Borolulu and the Queensland border. I built. I built the 53 00:03:35,880 --> 00:03:39,080 Speaker 2: caravan park at the very Springs called the Lakes Resort 54 00:03:39,240 --> 00:03:46,520 Speaker 2: now aka Lakes Resort. Running a caravan, our caravan park 55 00:03:46,760 --> 00:03:51,240 Speaker 2: at times is bigger, is larger than some small councils are. 56 00:03:52,160 --> 00:03:55,640 Speaker 2: And you don't only just have to be a manager. 57 00:03:55,800 --> 00:03:59,480 Speaker 2: You have to be a social worker. You have to 58 00:04:00,040 --> 00:04:02,680 Speaker 2: make sure your pride, the rules, you have to use 59 00:04:02,720 --> 00:04:06,120 Speaker 2: a lot of common sense. You have to be the security, 60 00:04:06,160 --> 00:04:07,000 Speaker 2: you have to be. 61 00:04:08,600 --> 00:04:14,120 Speaker 1: All right, now, Doug, what are your top three commitments 62 00:04:14,240 --> 00:04:15,840 Speaker 1: to voters at this election. 63 00:04:16,920 --> 00:04:23,240 Speaker 2: The top three commitments keeping rates down to to fair 64 00:04:23,320 --> 00:04:30,800 Speaker 2: and reasonable in the last In the last four years, 65 00:04:31,120 --> 00:04:37,159 Speaker 2: we've kept it down below the CPI. Unlike what was 66 00:04:37,200 --> 00:04:39,480 Speaker 2: being promised four years ago, where the rates are going 67 00:04:39,520 --> 00:04:44,480 Speaker 2: to go up by ten, we kept them down. We 68 00:04:44,600 --> 00:04:52,039 Speaker 2: kept our our staffing costs down. We inherited a staffing 69 00:04:52,760 --> 00:04:55,960 Speaker 2: staffing of sixty six and I think it's presently at 70 00:04:55,960 --> 00:05:02,000 Speaker 2: fifty four, but we are allowing our se to to 71 00:05:02,000 --> 00:05:06,960 Speaker 2: to go up to fifty eight and obviously more more 72 00:05:07,000 --> 00:05:11,440 Speaker 2: for recreation reserves and obviously more for roads. I'm very 73 00:05:11,480 --> 00:05:17,480 Speaker 2: passionate about roads in Litchfield. I I I've lived on 74 00:05:17,520 --> 00:05:22,400 Speaker 2: dirt roads for most of the time, and I believe 75 00:05:22,440 --> 00:05:25,080 Speaker 2: that roads would be like a telephone. A sealed roads 76 00:05:25,120 --> 00:05:27,960 Speaker 2: would be like a telephone. And those that are on 77 00:05:28,200 --> 00:05:36,120 Speaker 2: gravel roads complain about everybody getting their roads resealed when 78 00:05:36,120 --> 00:05:39,200 Speaker 2: they when when they get to two grades a year, 79 00:05:39,880 --> 00:05:46,599 Speaker 2: and unfortunately that they're paying for their subsidizing people that 80 00:05:46,640 --> 00:05:50,159 Speaker 2: are getting their reseals for free. I'm a great believer 81 00:05:50,320 --> 00:05:54,800 Speaker 2: in the road levy, which which needs to be fair 82 00:05:54,880 --> 00:05:58,120 Speaker 2: as well. Certainly you've only. 83 00:05:58,000 --> 00:05:59,440 Speaker 1: Got about a minute left, But I've got a couple 84 00:05:59,480 --> 00:06:01,640 Speaker 1: of quick questions. Are you a member of a political 85 00:06:01,680 --> 00:06:03,800 Speaker 1: party or have you ever been? We're asking all the 86 00:06:03,839 --> 00:06:04,600 Speaker 1: candidates at. 87 00:06:04,680 --> 00:06:07,560 Speaker 2: Yes, I have been a member of the CLP, and 88 00:06:07,640 --> 00:06:10,359 Speaker 2: I believe the other two candidates to interview and have 89 00:06:10,440 --> 00:06:12,839 Speaker 2: been members of the c LP in the past as well. 90 00:06:12,960 --> 00:06:16,080 Speaker 1: I'll ask them that too. Hey, tell me a couple 91 00:06:16,120 --> 00:06:19,159 Speaker 1: of quick listener questions. Does the council have plans to 92 00:06:19,200 --> 00:06:22,400 Speaker 1: completely take over the operation of Fred's Past Reserve? 93 00:06:25,000 --> 00:06:27,960 Speaker 2: Not to not to my knowledge, No, that's not correct. Ye, 94 00:06:29,200 --> 00:06:32,520 Speaker 2: there is a paper out there that could that could, 95 00:06:32,720 --> 00:06:37,960 Speaker 2: that could. But I'm a great believer in community effort 96 00:06:38,080 --> 00:06:44,720 Speaker 2: is essential. Without our committees, it's going to cost counsel 97 00:06:44,760 --> 00:06:48,200 Speaker 2: a lot more. I'm a great believer in all our 98 00:06:49,560 --> 00:06:53,400 Speaker 2: in all our committees. That is. 99 00:06:53,560 --> 00:06:56,000 Speaker 1: That is our six minutes. But I'm just going to 100 00:06:56,080 --> 00:06:59,520 Speaker 1: give you a quick thirty seconds because we have got 101 00:06:59,560 --> 00:07:02,240 Speaker 1: another listener questions. So I'm just going to quickly start 102 00:07:02,279 --> 00:07:03,920 Speaker 1: this up and I'll do the others for the same 103 00:07:04,400 --> 00:07:07,640 Speaker 1: the same. Where do you see the future of Fred's 104 00:07:07,760 --> 00:07:13,200 Speaker 1: pass as it is relocating to Livingstone Reserve? But not 105 00:07:13,240 --> 00:07:16,000 Speaker 1: sure if that's sort of been made public knowledge. Yet 106 00:07:16,040 --> 00:07:17,880 Speaker 1: he's one of the questions coming back. 107 00:07:18,440 --> 00:07:24,120 Speaker 2: I am aware of that night Predspass show does want 108 00:07:24,120 --> 00:07:28,400 Speaker 2: to move to Livingston Reserve. I think it would be 109 00:07:28,400 --> 00:07:31,120 Speaker 2: a great move. I have talked to Surly about Sorry, 110 00:07:31,160 --> 00:07:34,920 Speaker 2: Surly has talked to me about it, and we might 111 00:07:34,960 --> 00:07:38,080 Speaker 2: miss out on Darwin people, but I think it's going 112 00:07:38,080 --> 00:07:42,680 Speaker 2: to be great because the Adelaide River Adlaide River Bachelor 113 00:07:42,720 --> 00:07:44,920 Speaker 2: of People will Doug, that. 114 00:07:45,000 --> 00:07:47,800 Speaker 1: Is all we got time for. That's all we got 115 00:07:47,840 --> 00:07:52,120 Speaker 1: time for this morning. Doug Barden, current mayor and also 116 00:07:52,560 --> 00:07:55,840 Speaker 1: obviously candidate for the local government election for the mayor 117 00:07:55,920 --> 00:07:58,440 Speaker 1: of Lichfield. Really good to talk to you this morning. 118 00:07:58,480 --> 00:07:59,640 Speaker 1: I appreciate your time. 119 00:08:00,440 --> 00:08:02,080 Speaker 2: Thank you, and I keep my promises. 120 00:08:02,480 --> 00:08:05,840 Speaker 1: Katie, thank you, Thanks do. I appreciate it.