CANDIDATES in the running for the Queensland seat of Barron River.

Steve Wettenhall (ALP): Steve Wettenhall has lived in the Barron River electorate for 16 years, first in Kuranda and now Stratford, where he lives with wife Mandy and their two teenage children. 

Prior to entering Parliament, Steve was a solicitor with his own legal firm.

Steve has a long history of community involvement, being a founding member of the Cairns Community Legal Centre, and has served as president of the Cairns & Far North Environment Centre.  

Steve provides strong representation for the whole of the Far North, chairing the FNQ Ministerial Regional Community Forums, which bring local concerns to the Government for action.  

Steve works hard at the grass roots level with small business and community organisations, and has championed a range of education, environment and public transport issues.  

While the challenge in Barron River has, in the past, been managing growth, Steve now sees his primary task as protecting existing jobs and encouraging projects to help get our region through the tough economic times ahead.   

Wendy Richardson (LNP): Wendy Richardson grew up in Cairns, and knows the Barron River region and its people well.  She has a degree in speech therapy and has also studied for a post-graduate degree in special education.

She conducts her own private practice in speech pathology, with a strong interest in literacy skills and the important area of early childhood education.

As well as her professional role, Wendy has enjoyed a range of other life experiences.

She currently owns and operates a small ecotourism venture and farm on the Atherton Tableland with the help of one of her adult sons.

She is also on community boards and committees.

Wendy has four children and one grandson and enjoys time with them all, particularly in our fabulous natural environment.

"I come from a family of pioneers who passed on their love of this very special region together with a strong sense of responsibility for seeing it is properly cared for.

"My degree in speech therapy involved a wide range of studies, from medical and educational to biological science. I understand deeply the inter-connectedness of people with the environment, and the fine balance we must achieve.

"I live in the Barron River electorate and I’m looking forward to listening to the people and strongly speaking up for them on all the issues so that we move ahead as a society in the best way for all concerned. Together we can achieve change for the better in Barron River.”

Sarah Isaacs (The Greens): Sarah Isaacs, a naturopath and community activist from Koah, has been selected as The Greens candidate for the seat of Barron River, near Cairns.
 
Sarah hopes to bring a new, consultative style to the job of local representative. 

"Economic pressures and climate change are making us rethink the way we live," Sarah said.
 
"Now is the time to find better ways of living to protect the Barrier Reef, our beautiful beaches, rivers and forests from inappropriate development, while working to improve the true quality of life for everyone.
 
"Local issues of special interest to me include:
 
• integrated transport:  bus, rail and bikes
• sustainable, appropriate development
• improving the safety of the Kuranda Range Rd
• Mona Mona, support a better outcome
• best-practice health care for everyone
• adequate support for all our elders, those with special needs and their carers
• water quality
• recycling and reducing waste
 
"Protecting the environment and developing a sustainable way of living will help us build a stronger and healthier community."
 

More candidate profiles to come

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