MR Dennis Driver is set to contest a seat in the Nambucca Valley Council local government elections on Saturday, September 4.

Mr Driver is a veteran journalist, having retired from his position as an NBN TV reporter in May this year.

“I was born in Macksville and grew up in Nambucca Heads and have lived at Tewinga since 2003,” Mr Driver said.

Mr Driver says that the impact of COVID-19 has had an impact everywhere, and that “the Nambucca Valley Council will have to grapple with its consequences for decades”.

The impacts that Covid-19 has had on tourism and hospitality is acknowledged by Mr Driver, and he is keen to be part of assisting industries across the Valley to recover when “life goes somewhere near normal”.

Mr Driver says he is running for Council because of his love for the area, and believes his long term championing of local causes through his job in the media makes him a great candidate for the job.

“I feel deeply connected to the Valley and I believe I have a lot of life and work experience that can be put to good use as a councillor.”

As a long term journalist, Mr Driver thinks the knowledge he has gained about Councils and how they work will stand him in good stead if he is elected.

Journalism, Mr Driver says, has provided him with training in being objective, an ability to question and spot when things are not legitimate.

Job opportunities and environmental protection are both high on Mr Driver’s list of priorities.

The pristine rivers and precious forests in the Valley are something that he holds dear and believes need protection.

“Forests are precious and we need to be very careful about what we log and what we preserve.”

Mr Driver is concerned about the expansion of the blueberry industry into the Valley, and has a long history of researching the environmental impacts of the blueberry industry, related farming practices and the effect on nearby waterways.

“Blueberry farming is not an industry that the Valley is crying out for.

“It is an industry we need to do in moderation and with regulation,” he said.

There are currently no regulations in place in the Valley about how close blueberry farms can go to homes, schools and waterways.

Mr Driver would like to be a part of the Council taking action on this issue.

“This time last year I was gearing up to contest the scheduled local government elections which were postponed due to the pandemic.

“I have my fingers crossed that it won’t happen again in September,” Mr Driver said.

 

By Rachel MCGREGOR-ALLEN