Port Douglas resident, Vivienne Ruffles has thrown her hat into the ring and will be running for Councillor in the upcoming 19 March election.

Running for the first time as Councillor, Mrs Ruffles said, “now felt like the right time.”

Calling Port Douglas home since 1986, Mrs Ruffles relocated from Mt Isa and had holidayed in the Douglas Shire during 1963 to 1977.  In 1980 she purchased, with her husband, a holiday property before they made the move in 1986.  Her three children also grew up in Port Douglas.

“We bought a takeaway business on the Port Douglas waterfront on Princes Wharf and ran it for five and half years.

“Even though it was a takeaway business we were taking reservations for breakfast and lunch from people in Sydney.  People loved to watch the Martin Cash boat come in,” she said.

When they arrived, Mrs Ruffles recalls that there were no schools and no community facilities.

“It was very much a fishing village and only the beginning of tourist enterprises.  Big industry then was agriculture,” she said.

Although she did not attend the Douglas Business Forum, she believes business development and economic growth in the region is important and is a great believer in spending locally.

“I have seen so many businesses leave the area because they can’t make a financial success of it.  Tourism is so competitive and if businesses don’t prosper they can’t employ people and the money doesn’t stay in the town.  Most people spend their money in town with eating, rates, rent and entertainment,” she said.

Admitting she was a sea-changer relocating from a mining town, Mrs Ruffles said the Daintree is at a disadvantage because of the number of people who live there versus the number of people visiting.

“We have to protect what makes us different to other places which is a clean, green and beautiful place.

“I know some Daintree business owners and it would appear the community is divided north and south of the river over mains power, boat ramps, the gateway and also researching batteries.  There are issues of fuel and gas over the river due to strong maritime regulations.

“Years ago there was a survey of owners of the Daintree, which was better for those who don’t want to speak in public, and 75% didn’t want mains power,” she said.

Regarding the Port Douglas waterfront project, Mrs Ruffles believes that it is not a big project but it still has to be done right so not to just benefit the owners.

“It needs to be an asset to the whole Shire.  The waterfront is State land and owned by the people and the conditions of freehold have not be treated lightly by the State Government. Council will be entitled to a percentage of the freehold and that will be reinvested in the town.

“It has had its heyday and it’s got potential to return.  It is so sad to see it now, but it will take some years, it wont just happen overnight,” she said.

Another major project in the region is the Mossman Botanic Gardens and Mrs Ruffles said she has not heard one person who has anything against it.

“I think it’s a wonderful project and once it’s established it will have research facilities with some of the worlds best gardens and it’s in a great location for it in Mossman,” she said.

With the recently green light for the Mossman aged care facility, Mrs Ruffles said, “the social capacity of a place where you choose to live, is the ability to keep families together”.

“With an ageing population and retirees setting up home here, if one of the couple’s dies, home has become here.

“The building trades will do well and it will be good for employment and training opportunities,” she said.

Including pets as part of the family, Mrs Ruffles believes the Paws and Claws facility has also achieved amazing things and said that the facility needs to be accessible, in order to continue their work.

“It’s excellent if the facility will be on State Government owned land that gets transferred, as they will be protected,” she said.

Following the Douglas Business Forum late last year, one of the issues that surfaced was the NBN rollout and the inconsistent internet connectivity.  Steps towards finding a workable solution have been instigated by Douglas Chamber of Commerce and the Douglas Shire working together with Telstra.

Mrs Ruffles believes that this should be high on the agenda as it affects businesses as well as residents.

“Telstra has known about the issues for a long time.  If you go out to Julatten they have really fast connection because of the NBN,” she said.

Having an understanding of legislation and how it is constantly changing, Mrs Ruffles said she does not plan to make any promises.

To take the region into 2020 Mrs Ruffles believes the priorities are protecting the regions assets as well as seeking progress of the district with business opportunities.

“We need to aim for prosperity for everyone who lives and works here,” she said.