OPINION: Mayor Julia Leu has fired her first salvo in the build up to the March 19 local elections by saying this is not the time for change, adding if there is a rate rise it will be limited. Leu made her comments at the first electoral forum held today at the Cow Bay Hotel in the Daintree.

Roy Weavers, the other mayoral candidate, told the 40-strong audience he has no confidence in the current budget and the Douglas Shire Council must become a business and be run as such.

Councillor candidate Donna Graham, clearly the most articulate of the nine councillor candidates (two were absent), said the shire is at the cross roads and whatever decisions are made over the next two years, will shape the region for the next 20 years. She further called for innovation and diversity.

Other than the aforementioned, there were no other statements of conviction. Incumbent councillors instead wallowed in what they had done yesterday (the past), while others felt the need to exalt their family tree, some going back to the 1800s.

What we did not hear is what needs to be done to take this shire forward; how we can attract additional revenue streams; and what more can be done to ensure that this region remains front of mind as a tourist destination. A forum is the time and place to provide a message, something attendees can take away, think about, and discuss with their friends and colleagues. This did not happen today.

The mayor may have said, “there is always more that can be done”, and she’s right. But what does that mean. Admittedly, the mayoral candidates only had eight minutes to get their message across, but it would have been prudent for Ms Leu to have laid out her plans if she is re-elected. This is what we had hoped to hear. This is also the first time she has gone public in this campaign.

There are still two more forums and perhaps she and the other candidates will have clearer messages. The next forum is on March 10 at the Port Douglas Community Centre followed by  Mossman Shire Hall on March 15 (both from 5:30pm – 7:00pm).

As an aside, the Daintree Marketing Cooperative Ltd. warrant praise for hosting today’s forum. The Cow Bay Hotel in the Daintree was the ideal setting for the opening forum and the organisers can be proud of what they achieved.