DOUGLAS Shire councillor Terry Melchert has broken ranks and urged voters to elect a ‘new council that listens’ at the Mossman candidate election forum last night.

Despite being one of the four current councillors under Mayor Julia Leu’s leadership, Melchert used the public forum to challenge colleagues and voice concerns over a council he says ‘interaction with the community is relatively poor’.

He threw his support behind a ‘different approach’ under mayoral candidate Roy Weavers in front of around 70 people at the Mossman Shire Hall, and also endorsed council candidates Donna Graham, Peter McKeown and incumbent councillor Bruce Clarke.

“There is not enough consultation (from council) with the community and that can not continue to happen,” Melchert said.

“I’m hoping that you will re-elect a different council and a different approach which I can be part of. I’m hoping to work with Donna, with Bruce, with Peter and with Roy Weavers that would be a listening council.

“A council that won’t tear down the old Mowbray Bridge without at least having some consultation with you, that won’t screw over the farmers with a 5.2 per cent rate increase or unreasonable conditions."

Leu used part of her address to discount Melchert’s views and said 'claims council doesn’t listen is absolute rubbish.'

She also responded to Weavers’ claims that neighbouring Mareeba Shire accounted for only 61 per cent of total revenue from rate payers, as opposed to the Douglas Shire’s 80 per cent.

“Don’t be fooled by this scare campaign from my opponents,” Leu said.

“Some of the figures flying around are just wrong. The Mareeba Shire raised its rates by 10 per cent following de-amalgamation, we chose not to do that and spread it out over five years.”

In other news from the last candidate forum before Saturday’s election, incumbent councillor David Carey proposed the development of a tourist cane train between Port Douglas and Mossman.

He said it would drive more visitors to the area - especially with the planned Mossman Botanical Gardens under development - and made economic sense given the infrastructure was already in place.

Some of the issues put to candidates by local residents included:

• developing Mossman into a hub for the elderly
• was enough being done to help the disadvantaged in Mossman
• better maintenance of back streets in Port Douglas and Mossman
• would a coconut processing industry service the entire Douglas Shire
• how far advanced is the proposed town plan

Douglas Shire locals will now turn their attention to the polling booths.