Sustainability Group releases survey results
Thursday November 7th 2013
Voters urged to consider sustainability
Results from the Douglas Shire Sustainability Group's survey, gauging Council candidates' attitudes towards conservation, chemical- free water and urban development, were released yesterday, with the DSSG President urging voters to review the findings ahead of Saturday's election.
On October 21 this year, the DSSG asked all 15 councillor candidates and three mayoral candidates to return answers and optional comments on four sustainability-related questions by 9pm on November 2.
The questions concerned:
- Support for the current Douglas Shire planning scheme and reduction of significant development;
- Protection of coastal zones within the Shire;
- A return to chemical-free water; and
- Conservation or development north of the Daintree;
President Kevin 'Kstar' Eldridge lamented the poor showing from candidates, with only eight from the total 18 responding.
Full survey results are available online 
here.
"The DSSG strongly recommends that voters read the full responses of each candidate," said Kstar.
Councillor candidates David Carey, Ken Dobbs, Sylvia Healy, Mal Phillips and Roy Weavers, and mayoral candidate Julia Leu uniformly supported the sustainability options, while Michael Kerr and Terry Melchert differed in some responses.
"The DSSG suggests that if people want to vote for sustainability in the Douglas Shire, they should pick from the candidates with the most ticks," said Kstar.
The Douglas Shire will vote in four councillors and a mayor this Saturday, November 9.
The latest election news is available online here, and candidate profiles here.
