Public Amenity

• Construct more sporting fields on the west side of the city
• Plan, acquire land, construct sign post new bushland walking tracks
• Construct more bikeways
• Continue to develop railway parklands

Toowoomba City

• Revitalise the CBD of Toowoomba
• Concessional parking fees for long term parking for workers in CBD of Toowoomba in nominated areas of carparks
• Construct multi-story parking in CBD
• Complete outer circulating ring-road in Toowoomba CBD
• Continue with flood mitigation measures along east and west creeks in Toowoomba
• Convert disused Bridge Street quarry to a commercial development incorporating gardens. Other sporting fields to be developed in TRC area. Some on areas already owned by council and further acquisitions for this purpose.
• Commence park land development along Gowrie Creek

Rural Areas

• Allocate a councillor to be responsible for a specific area
• On a rolling basis improve sewerage, drainage, kerbing and channelling in rural townships
• Protect Good Quality Agricultural land (QGAL) from mining
• Ensure rural roads are properly maintained and upgraded on a needs basis
• Make sure that mining does not encroach within several kilometres of town boundaries

Rates

• Maintain close scrutiny of rates to ensure that rates rises are kept to a minimum

General Issues

• Encouragement of industry and business to Toowoomba and regional areas
• Active encouragement of development in TRC area
• Encourage cultural, educational, commercial and sporting events to come to Toowoomba and region

More About Chris Tait

Before you consider a vote for me, you deserve to know a bit more about me and why you can be confident that I can deliver what I propose.

As I've already mentioned I was practicing law for a long time - since being admitted as a solicitor in 1974 until my retirement from fulltime practice in 2011. For the first 10 years my main areas of practice were criminal law and litigation, then in the next 27 years it was principally land law, subdivision of land, business law, planning law, companies and trusts. I was a partner in Wonderley and Hall (one of Toowoomba's oldest and largest legal firms) for 35 years, the last 14 as senior partner and I have now retired from fulltime practice. In other words I've got a pretty solid grasp of the law when it comes to knowing what can and can't be done in local government.

I'm also pretty familiar with what it takes to work the land and all the issues that come with it. Apart from the small properties I owned and operated at Cambooya and Gowrie Junction, I went on to own and operate a large grazing and farming property in NSW at Inverell.

As for local government experience I served 9 years as a Councillor on the Jondaryan Shire Council, the last 3 years as Deputy Mayor. The council notched up some impressive achievements in that time including the Toowoomba-Oakey water pipeline, construction of the Oakey Cultural Centre, planning and initiation of kerbing / channelling / drainage works in our shire's section of Glenvale and major reduction of the shire's debt. By 1997 the combined responsibilities of a young family, my law partnership and the rural enterprise in NSW meant that I couldn't continue to devote appropriate focus on council duties, so I did not stand for re-election.

Finally there's my long-standing involvement in community service organisations. I have at times been president of Toowoomba South Rotary Club, Toowoomba Apex Club, Toowoomba Toastmasters' Club, the Downs and South-Western Law Association and served 10 years on the advisory board of the Toowoomba preparatory School. I continue to be involved in this area as a member of Toowoomba South Rotary Club. On a more personal note, I keep fit and active with cycling, walking and gardening. My wife Jane works as a locum dentist and supports me in my duties as a councillor.

PROMINENT LOCAL LEGAL FIGURE TO INJECT NEW ENERGY INTO THE TOOWOOMBA REGIONAL COUNCIL RACE

Chris says: "I'm entering the race because as a member of the Toowoomba Regional Council I feel I can bring the sort of new energy, new ideas and new future to the region and its urban and rural people that is both needed and deserved...I've got the legal and business experience to get the job done, but I'm no novice in local government as I've got my time on the Jondaryan Shire Council to draw on and I can point to having put some pretty good runs on the board there."

The runs on the board that Chris refers to include: the establishment of the Toowoomba-Oakey water pipeline, construction of the Oakey Cultural Centre, major reduction of the Shire debt and the planning and initiation of kerbing, channelling and drainage works in the Jondaryan shire's section of Glenvale. It's a potent indicator of the ability and drive to identify and tackle the sort of bread-and-butter infrastructure issues that underpin any community, as well as the capacity for fiscal management and responsibility essential to keeping the wheels turning efficiently.

Chris adds: "To drive a region forward you've got to combine vision with practicality and energy ... without vision there are no ideas and a region stagnates...without practicality you have no concept of what's achievable and how to achieve it, so the ideas and vision just wither on the vine...and without energy everything just sits on the back burner...you just can't approach local government half-hearted."

The evidence proves that Chris Tait can be counted on to deliver precisely what the region needs, vision, practicality and energy.

PROMINENT LOCAL LEGAL FIGURE TO INJECT NEW ENERGY INTO THE TOOWOOMBA REGIONAL COUNCIL RACE

Few names in the Toowoomba region would be as widely known as that of Chris Tait. His 35 years as a partner at Wonderley & Hall Solicitors (the last 14 as senior partner) and his community involvement has made him a familiar and well-regarded identity in legal and business circles, however Chris's profile extends wider than this.

A track record that has included 9 years as a Jondaryan Shire Councillor (including a 3 year stint as Deputy Mayor), previous advisory board member of the Toowoomba Preparatory School, past terms as president of the Downs and South Western Law Association, Toowoomba Apex Club, Rotary Club of Toowoomba South and the Toowoomba Toastmasters' club and running and developing a large mixed farming and grazing property, has given Chris Tait in-depth experience of a full spectrum of community issues.

Having retired from full-time law and trimmed back on his other business interests, he has decided that he has ample time and energy to commit to making a positive contribution to the region as a member of the Council.

Chris says: "I'm entering the race because as a member of the Toowoomba Regional Council I feel I can bring the sort of new energy, new ideas and new future to the region and its urban and rural people that is both needed and deserved...I've got the legal and business experience to get the job done, but I'm no novice in local government as I've got my time on the Jondaryan Shire Council to draw on and I can point to having put some pretty good runs on the board there."

The runs on the board that Chris refers to include: the establishment of the Toowoomba-Oakey water pipeline, construction of the Oakey Cultural Centre, major reduction of the Shire debt and the planning and initiation of kerbing, channelling and drainage works in the Jondaryan shire's section of Glenvale. It's a potent indicator of the ability and drive to identify and tackle the sort of bread-and-butter infrastructure issues that underpin any community, as well as the capacity for fiscal management and responsibility essential to keeping the wheels turning efficiently.

Chris adds: "To drive a region forward you've got to combine vision with practicality and energy ... without vision there are no ideas and a region stagnates...without practicality you have no concept of what's achievable and how to achieve it, so the ideas and vision just wither on the vine...and without energy everything just sits on the back burner...you just can't approach local government half-hearted."

The evidence proves that Chris Tait can be counted on to deliver precisely what the region needs, vision, practicality and energy.