Our Fair Share

I would like to congratulate newspapers like Courier Mail, Townsville Bulletin, Hobart Mercury etc for continuing the Our Fair Share campaign.

The editorial in The Townsville bulletin today Friday 19 May 2017, rightly takes some credit for driving a fair go campaign that reaped the highest amount of federal spending in the 2016 election but probably for at least the past six years. The Townsville Bulletin was an instrumental messenger and an important piece in the Our Fair Share strategy. But it takes a community to achieve these sort of outcomes. The Townsville Bulletin was a piece in the larger jigsaw puzzle of fiscal recognition and results take time.

The first time regional Australia heard the phrase Our Fair Share and listened to the quantification of a regions (Townsville) under recognition was in 2008. I was looking for a sharp meaningful slogan that represented the value a regional economist could bring to the discussion.

Almost a decade has past since this speech was made in 2008, and the impact of cumulative causation, unique skills and a smart community has made a positive difference.

"Our Fair Share"

Colin Dwyer

My name is Colin Dwyer and I have nominated for the State seat of Mundingburrra. Recently I joined the LNP to make a difference to the lives of current and future residents of Mundingburra and Townsville. I love Townsville and am passionate about my community and her people getting their fair share of Queensland’s prosperity. I have been vocal in the press and on TV for a number of years criticising the current Labor State Government’s Public Investment funding of Townsville in recent State budgets – Townsville’s contribution to the State’s economy has been undervalued for eight of the previous nine years. I have also commentated on the health debacle at TGH and I have expressed my opinion in local, state and national media regarding North Queensland’s need for a sustainable base load power station.

I have previously been involved in politics, having helped Peter Hazzard with his Herbert campaign in the mid 1980’s, but it is my passion about the above issues that have ignited my recent interest in State politics.  

So, I would like to take this opportunity to tell you about myself and ask for your support to become the State Member for Mundingburra. I am 45 years old and currently live in West End with my wife Vicki and two children Lachlan (11) and Mahalia (10). Both my children attend Belgian Gardens State School.   I was born in Papua New Guinea and went to secondary school at the Anglican Church Grammar School in Brisbane.

In 1983, I arrived in Townsville to commence an economics degree at James Cook University. I completed that qualification with honours and was offered a position as an Associate lecturer in micro and macro economics and statistics. This qualification has provided me with the skills to analyse Queensland’s budget and make informed comment on whether Townsville is receiving Our Fair Share.

After five fantastic years at JCU, I moved to Canberra for three winters, working in the Australian Public Service. I happily returned to Townsville in 1992 to establish a Public Service training centre and then became Manager of an economic and statistical research unit for North Queensland DEETYA.

In 1996 I saw an opportunity and established an economic consulting firm, North Australia Economics. Over the next seven years, I successfully contributed to a variety of projects including the Australian Technical College funding model, business plan and financial viability model, Gulf Skills Audit and various regional economic impact studies. 

I am currently the Director of Research and Consulting for Colliers International Townsville. I write a regular column in Saturday’s Townsville Bulletin and I am regularly asked by local journalists, local TV, Radio and web based news services and also state and national media channels, for comment on the Townsville economy, the economic impact on Townsville’s households and families, and the local property market.  I believe in connecting and contributing to the community where I live. I am a current board member of Townsville Cricket, a coach of Junior Cricket at West’s Cricket Club and a junior coach at North Ward Junior Rugby Union Football Club. 

I love my sport and I love to participate. In primary school, I was chosen to represent Port Moresby Schools Rugby League; I have played Soccer for Redlands Premier Division team as a fifteen year old, and locally for Estates First Division in 1994. I have competed in State Athletics titles as a 100m and relay runner. I have also played Rugby at James Cook University and played and coached premiership winning reserve grade sides. Exercise and fitness is important to my lifestyle, so I regularly walk the Strand and Castle Hill and like to play corporate 20/20 cricket. 

 I enjoy reading, mainly factual books and magazines, singing, playing the guitar and piano (although my wife says I play badly).  I love North Queensland’s reef and rainforest and enjoy the North Queensland outdoors. 

I am passionate about Townsville achieving Our Fair Share of Queensland’s and Australia’s prosperity and I am angry and disappointed with the political monopoly that Townsville has given the labour party. Townsville has been as loyal as a Labrador but in instead of being looked after as one of the family we are being treated like dogs.   

Since the last State election, the State Government has consistently shown social and economic disrespect for Townsville’s people and Townsville’s contribution to Queensland’s prosperity. Our public hospital has great staff who want to serve and help our community but its facilities are a disgrace. This labor government has had years to manage this problem, but they have failed, they are out of touch with all their political spin and its time to change.

Did you know that the public investment shortfall, given our contribution to Queensland’s economy over the term of this government has been $744.6 million ---that’s $744.6million. That’s a brand new hospital, a base load power station and some left over for better roads and education facilties. 

After I criticised the labor budget last year they mustn’t have listened, because this year, in 2008, the State Government produced the worst public investment performance for the Townsville region of any budget in the last nine years. The Townsville region lost out by 2.5% or $453.5 million when compared to its economic contribution share, and we were undervalued by $132.9 million when compared to our population share.  What ever way we look at public investment distribution, this means Townsville’s fair share of public investment is being spent elsewhere.

Townsville and North Queensland people want Our Fair Share, we work hard and contribute significantly to Queensland and we deserve better recognition. We deserve better state budgetary recognition, better planning and better public investment recognition. We deserve better hospital facilities, we deserve better education facilities, we deserve better roads, we deserve better planning and we deserve visionary infrastructure, like a new hospital and a sustainable base load power station. A base load power station will reduce energy costs for everyone and drive sustainable economic growth in Townsville and across North Queensland.

Thank you and I look forward to your support in becoming the State Member for Mundingburra, so that I can work to ensure Townsville’s residents get our fair share of State funding. Colin Dwyer's candidate speech for State seat of Mundingburra LNP October 2008.

I didn't win that election (thats Politics) but i had a moral victory and at the time i looked forward to a step up in political representation; the message remains the same - scrutinize, use valid data, persevere and prosecute for what you know to be right. Represent your region before your party!

I stood in the 2016 Federal election, prior to this Federal election the sitting member had a safe seat with a margin of 6 points. The major parties wernt interested in spending in a safe seat!!! But as soon as an alternative candidate stood up seeking Our Fair Share the game changed and two weeks out from the election Canberra LNP conceded they needed to recognise Herbert and Townsville. The stadium, hundreds of jobs and a much needed confidence boost became a reality.

Well done to the Townsville Bulletin for playing its part in the Townsville Our Fair Share Campaign. I hope other regions around Australia can benefit from this unique economic approach and gain appropriate fiscal recognition.