FRANK WILKIE. If you DON’T recognise the name, please read on; if you DO, please read on.

I am honoured to provide this testimonial to support Frank Wilkie’s campaign for Mayor of Noosa Shire.  Whether you are a long-term resident or new to the Shire, I truly hope you will join me (and many others who know him) to elect Frank Wilkie as our new Mayor.  Here are three reasons why:

1. Safe hands:  As Deputy Mayor of Noosa since 2016 and many years as a Councillor, Frank has a proven track record of protecting the core values of Noosa and the Noosa Planning Scheme.  As a Mayoral candidate, he has both the passion and experience to ensure that the ‘why’ of Noosa (eg, why we love living here, why our uniquely different environment is our strength) continues.  These skills are especially important in our rapidly changing world and when the risks of trying to overturn what has proven to protect us and our environment are all too real.

2. Helping hands: Frank has a deep commitment to helping both long-term and new residents. To ensure solutions are focused and feasible, he recognises the need to listen first. With his professional background as a journalist, Frank has an increasingly rare skill to genuinely listen to people and thoughtfully consider what they are saying and why they are saying it…and he does so with kindness and grace. As local issues can be divisive, we need a Mayor who has a genuine desire to help and has the ability and demeanour to bring people together to work collaboratively and transparently on solutions.

3. Guiding hands: Frank has the education (eg, Australian Institute of Company Directors graduate) and the energy (just try running with him!) to guide Noosa through the next chapter of its history.  Our next chapter has both challenges (eg, intense population growth forecast in the SEQ Regional Plan, limited affordable housing) and opportunities (eg, economic innovation to both differentiate and protect the Noosa Shire). With Frank’s vision and his authentic and collaborative leadership style, Noosa will be well-positioned to navigate challenges and embrace opportunities.

In summary, Frank is one of our finest ambassadors for Noosa Shire. Like so many of us, he absolutely LOVES this place and is dedicated to its future. His Mayoral premise, ‘Residents and the Environment First’ is also his promise.  Please join me (and many others) to vote for Frank Wilkie as Mayor of Noosa Shire – let him deliver on his promise!