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More than 30 candidates have stepped forward and announced their bid for the new Armidale Regional Council.
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All of them want to help the region grow.
All of them want to fix the mall.
And it seems, tourism, the airport precinct, and being a more consultative, cohesive Council are all important issues for everyone too - just ask any candidate.
So how do you tell everyone apart?
Well, here are a few differences about our next candidate.
Brad Widders is the only Aboriginal candidate standing so far.
A proud Anaiwan man, Mr Widders is also one of the youngest candidates in the hunt.
And what does Mr Widders think about the airport, the mall, and tourism?
Yes, they’re all important issues for him too.
But what else does My Widders stand for?
“Everyone knows the major issues here at the moment,” he said.
If you just get in there and talk a lot of ngwamba [crap], then you're going to have to keep chasing your tail remembering all the ngwamba you talked.”
- Brad Widders
“It’s job growth, sustainability, trying to get the population to grow, less reliability on the university, less reliability on government funded jobs, and retention of the younger people.
“But for those of us that are going to stay here, we want to make sure things are sustainable.
“It’s not just about what's popular now.
“It's about what going to be popular and useful in the future too.”
Mr Widders said he wanted to help Council engage with the community and better understand their needs.
“It about being a voice for the people so that their concerns are heard in a civic and democratic way,” he said.
Getting ahead of the job market and anticipating employment trends is also an area Mr Widders thinks Council should focus its attention.
He said Council should promote jobs and industries of the future to come to the region.
“Whether it’s things like job automation or agribusiness, which ever way the trends are heading, we need to attract them,” he said.
“Where will the industry be in five, ten, and twenty years.
“We’ve got a good connection with the NBN, and we’re only an hour away from Sydney really.
“Council, as a whole, should be promoting that about the region.”
Mr Widders also wants Council to be open and approachable.
“If you’re open and honest, then that’s what people come to expect from you.” he said.
“But if you just get in there and talk a lot of ngwamba [crap], then you're going to have to keep chasing your tail remembering all the ngwamba you talked.”
Mr Widders is campaigning with Trevor Smith under the banner collaborative opportunities.
The pair are standing independently but share the same campaign values.
Mr Smith’s profile will be available later this week.