COUNCILLOR TIM WALKER TO NOMINATE FOR
LAUNCESTON MAYOR
MEDIA RELEASE: COUNCILLOR TIM WALKER TO NOMINATE FOR LAUNCESTON MAYOR (2 September 2022)
Councillor Tim Walker today announced his intention to contest the Launceston Council Elections and nominate for the role of Mayor. Tim was elected to Launceston City Council in 2018 and has been an active councillor, believing that the council must become more agile and creative in responding to the needs of the community.
Councillor Walker has put more motions to council than any other councillor, including establishing the Homeless Advisory Committee, requesting the state government do more to look after our most vulnerable during Covid, and resetting our relationship with the Tasmanian Aboriginal community.
Councillor Walker believes it is important to know what your candidates stand for, and he has been a strong advocate for greater transparency and accountability during his four years on council. “For this election, I have built a comprehensive website that clearly shows what my position is, and how people can contact me for more information”, Councillor Walker said.
“I’m always prepared to stand up for the community, and I do what it takes to get council to respond in a positive and proactive way to the challenges of the day.
Councillor Walker has been a champion for protecting our unique built heritage, and sees that, along with enhancing the liveability of our city, and restoring and celebrating the spectacular kanamaluka/Tamar Valley as the keys to our future prosperity.
“As Mayor, I would lead the city towards fulfilling the potential that we all see: returning vitality to our CBD, begin the greening of our suburban centres like Kings Meadows and Mowbray, and most importantly, drive a program of delivering creative and affordable housing solutions for our changing needs.
“If we want people to come back to the CBD, we have to make it more accessible and affordable: let’s reduce parking fees and stop removing car parking until we have the solutions of satellite car parks and better public transport.
“I have already moved the motion on council to establish green spaces, compete with civic facilities, in the centre of our suburban shopping centres, with Kings Meadows and Mowbray first on the list.
“The answers to our housing shortage come from creating different models and types of housing that respond to the diverse needs of the community.
“Launceston Council owns significant land parcels that would be suitable for a new way of developing housing projects, with state and federal support, allowing people locked out of home ownership the opportunity to buy their own home.
Councillor Walker believes without housing solutions we cannot attract the workers that will allow our city to grow, and therefore cannot support the growth in our primary and tourism industries.
“We need to work more closely with the councils of the Tamar Valley to make it the best place to live, work and play in regional Australia.
“The whole of Northern Tasmania is becoming an agricultural food bowl, and an adventure paradise for tourists – our job on council is to ensure the we can support that growth for the prosperity of all”, Councillor Walker concluded.
Councillor Walker is a former ABC journalist and a political advisor, and he has lived and worked in Launceston for most of his career - he knows how unique our community is, but also the problems that are holding us back, and wants to be part of the solutions.
Councillor Tim Walker has detailed his vision for Launceston on the website www.timwalkerformayor.com.au and will make more announcements as the Local Government elections progress.
Councillor Tim Walker
Ph: 0429 137 084