Mayor picks a fight that he cannot win

OSCAR wants the Mayor to lead – not get drawn into personal attacks. OSCAR has made this point to him on a number of occasions as it diminishes him as an advocate for our region.

This undermines his sound arguments about the Sunshine Coast region not getting the resources we deserve as neither major party advocates adequately for the coast. The LNP takes the seats it holds comfortably for granted and the ALP has seen it as a political wasteland. Voters must change the status quo and make the coast marginal so Brisbane listens whoever wins the election on 25 November.

Mayor Mark Jamieson should focus on fighting for ratepayers, not attacking Peter Wellington, according to this [extract from] an article by Bill Hoffman in the SCD on 4 November.

SUNSHINE Coast Mayor Mark Jamieson has every right to cut through the theatre and pretence of a state election campaign full of unfunded promises and spin to argue for critical infrastructure for this region.

Without question the Sunshine Coast has been short-changed both in the delivery of infrastructure to support growth over the past 40 years and that now mandated to come.

But his attack this week on the legacy of Nicklin Independent Peter Wellington was gratuitous, of no benefit to the ratepayers Mr Jamieson is meant to serve and ignored the high esteem in which the long-serving state MP is held not only here but across Queensland.

What separates the pair as politicians is the willingness Mr Wellington has always shown to stand with the voiceless and less powerful.

Without him it is doubtful this region’s thousands of construction subcontractors would finally be on the verge of winning payment security and all the benefit that certainty would bring.

He has used the balance of power he has held skilfully rather than wielding it like a baseball bat, an approach that has allowed him continued access to government and the opportunity to advocate on behalf of all his constituents – not just to the benefit of the sector interests of a few.

In contrast Mayor Jamieson may eventually earn himself recognition as the architect of the Sunshine Coast of the future. It is heading rapidly though to being one that replicates the worst of poor planning decisions across South East Queensland.

Voters this election can see who is donating to which party or politician in real time, thanks largely to a campaign Peter Wellington championed four years ago with this newspaper.

He also advocated the end to political donations from developers at council and state level, something the Premier, to her credit, has introduced.

For that alone the Nicklin MP’s legacy is secure.