Ballina Shire Mayor Sharon Cadwallader was forced to use her casting vote to pass a motion allowing Council to hire a dedicated economic development officer after strong opposition from Greens-aligned councillors.

The move, brought forward by Cr Michelle Bailey, aims to boost local business support and attract investment to the region.

Cr Bailey argued that Ballina Shire is missing out on economic opportunities because there is currently no one within Council tasked with helping businesses navigate regulatory processes or seek growth support.

“We’re Missing Out”

Cr Bailey (pictured), who is also President of Business Lennox, said the new officer would work directly with the Shire’s three chamber of commerce groups to support existing and emerging businesses.

“Ballina has amazing sporting facilities and accommodation -everything we need to attract investment,” she said.

“But without the right coordination, these assets are underutilised. We could be going after major conferences and bringing so much more to town.”

She cited Lismore as an example, where dedicated economic development officers have been helping drive the local visitor economy and support business development.

“Other councils have officers out there making it easier for businesses to invest.  We’re falling behind,” Cr Bailey said.

Casting Vote Needed to Pass Motion

The proposal was debated at Council’s April meeting and passed only after Mayor Cadwallader exercised her casting vote due to a tied result, with opposition from Greens Party-aligned councillors.

Cr Simon Chate said he would prefer to see the money used to hire a “Biodiversity Officer,” stating that species extinction was a more pressing issue in the shire.

Cr Erin Karsten also opposed the timing of the move, suggesting instead that Council should hire a “Youth Officer” to support local young people.

Cr Phil Meehan expressed concern that the idea originated from councillors rather than Council staff, which he felt was inappropriate. 

Cr Therese Crollick added that she felt now was not the time given the council’s budget deficit.  She said the money would be better spent repairing footpaths.

An Investment in Ballina’s Future

However Deputy Mayor Damian Loone strongly defended the proposal, calling it a strategic investment.

“Whatever Council invests here will come back to us ten-fold,” he said.

“It will grow the economy and ultimately give us the capacity to deliver more for the community.”

Mayor Cadwallader also backed the role, stating that she regularly hears from frustrated business people who want to invest in Ballina but struggle to find support within Council.

“They come to see me, and I refer them to planning, but from there, it often goes nowhere,” she said.

“The planning team is there to regulate, not to facilitate – and that’s the key difference. We need someone in the organisation whose job it is to open doors, solve problems, and say, ‘Let’s see what we can do.’”

“We Need to Roll Out the Red Carpet”

The Mayor said it was critical for Ballina to match the efforts of other regional councils that already have dedicated economic development teams.

“Most regional councils have economic development officers.  They understand that economic growth gives councils the financial freedom to do more for everyone—whether it’s building footpaths, protecting biodiversity, or supporting youth,” she said.

“I hear from investors all the time. They say, ‘I can’t even get anyone at Council to return an email.’ That’s not acceptable if we want to grow.”

She concluded by saying the role isn’t about favouring business over other priorities – it’s about making the entire shire more prosperous and resilient.

The proposal is likely to come back to council for debate yet again after being published in the annual Delivery and Operation Plan documents which go out for public comment.

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