Ormiston resident Cindy Corrie has announced she will run for Redlands mayor at the upcoming local government election.
Ms Corrie becomes the third candidate in the race for the top job, joining incumbent mayor Karen Williams – who is gunning for a fourth straight term – and first-time candidate Jos Mitchell.
Residents will recognise Ms Corrie from her work with the Redlands Coast Chamber of Commerce, where she served as president, and as one of the brains behind The Sycamore School at Alexandra Hills.
In her first campaign pitch to residents, Ms Corrie vowed to take a collaborative approach to leadership.
Former Redlands Coast Chamber of Commerce president and prominent business identity Cindy Corrie has announced she will run for Redlands mayor at the local government election in 2024.
The Ormiston resident said she was putting her hand up for office because she wanted to support the city’s next generation and help Redlands reach its full potential.
Ms Corrie will officially launch her election campaign today, joining the race for the top job alongside third term mayor Karen Williams and independent candidate Jos Mitchell.
In an exclusive interview with Redland City News this week, Ms Corrie said she was committed to leading an administration with a focus on “unity and progress”.
She also vowed to work with other levels of government on a range of initiatives, such as implementing a housing strategy that would enable young residents to build a life and career in Redlands.
“My campaign theme is ‘shaping tomorrow, together’ because collaboration between all levels of government and the community is the only way we can achieve our full potential,” Ms Corrie said.
“I have a proven track record of working in collaboration with elected councillors, all levels and sides of politics to advance the interests of the Redlands community.
“I am not running a team. Whoever is elected in the 2024 local election will be my team, and I look forward to harnessing our collective strengths to serve the city.”
Ms Corrie, who grew up in south-west Sydney before moving to Redlands in 1999, said she had no political affiliations and would run as an independent candidate at the 2024 polls.
She said her experience working in council’s Advocacy, Major Projects and Economic Development department had driven her to pursue a seat at the decision-making table.
“I have been a business owner, I’ve been president of the chamber, I’ve done a lot of community advocacy work over the years – and all of those things contribute and give you that fire in the belly [to run for office],” Ms Corrie said.
“It is not really until you are in there [council] and you can see what’s happening, how decisions are being made, that I really felt like I was sitting in the wrong chair and so that was the impetus for doing it now.”
Ms Corrie said one of the main reasons she had decided to put her hand up for office was to ensure the next generation had opportunities within Redlands to achieve their aspirations.
She has outlined her major priorities for Redlands, which include “balanced development” that will create economic opportunities for the city and helping families with cost-of-living challenges to ensure they can continue living locally.
“I am dedicated to ensuring that our city is adapting to the changing needs of our community,” Ms Corrie said.
“Due to the ongoing cost-of-living challenges, our younger generation will likely remain in Redlands longer than previous trends.
“It is our responsibility to provide them with opportunities to achieve their aspirations.”
Ms Corrie promised to drive efficiencies to ensure the community was getting the best value for money from their rates and charges.
“If there are ways that council can streamline things that they do, then we should be exploring that,” she said.
“I think it is really difficult to say that any one person can have an impact on limiting the increase in rates, because inflation and a whole range of things come into what that amount will be.
“The reality is a mayor must have the support of the 10 councillors and has to have the evidence of the operational teams to be able to make those decisions.
I think what you should be saying is making sure that we are getting the best value from the rates that we charge and where efficiencies can be streamlined to ensure that happens, then we should be doing that on a regular basis.
The Ormiston resident is also a passionate disability advocate, having opened The Sycamore School at Alexandra Hills in 2017 to improve learning outcomes for young people living with autism.
Ms Corrie said every child deserved to access the curriculum in a way that was “meaningful and conducive to progress”.
“The school was also created to address the concerning independence and employment outcomes for people with autism,” Ms Corrie said.
“Redlands deserves the best services and facilities and that’s why I was so determined to establish the Sycamore School locally.”
Council election day is set down for March 16, 2024.
