9:57a.m. 1st December 2007

| By Damian Bathersby

Joe Natoli has made an explosive start to his bid to lead the Sunshine Coast’s new super council, launching a scathing attack on a potential opponent and making it clear he does not want financial support from developers.

And the Maroochy mayor topped his announcement with the commitment that Noosa ratepayers want to hear – he will not support any push to allow high-rise development in their area.

But when it came to suggestions that one of his opponents for the mayoral post might be Kawana MP Steve Dickson, Mr Natoli went on the attack, comparing him unfavourably with his son Christian, who replaced his father on Maroochy council.

“I think it’s no secret there is no love lost between Steve Dickson and myself,” he said.

“I should think his son will make a much better councillor than Steve ever did.”

Accusing his former council colleague of “deserting the people of Maroochy shire” when he moved in state politics, Mr Natoli said a move back to local government would equate to a similar desertion of state voters.

“Really, where is his heart?” he asked.

“If his heart was in local government ... he should have stayed in local government and had a crack at me.”

Mr Dickson last night said he was still leaving his options open on the mayoral race.

But his reaction to Mr Natoli’s attack was clear-cut.

“Some people are statesmen and Joe’s not,” he said.

The Maroochy mayor was flanked by his wife Rosanna and three young children when he confirmed his mayoral aspirations, promising he did not stand for rampant development.

“I can give people an absolute guarantee that I am not interested in seeing another Gold Coast – I am not interested in changing the planning schemes of Noosa or even to make any massive changes to what already exists in Maroochy Shire,” he said.

He said he was proud of Maroochy council’s role in maintaining restrictions on building heights in Buderim, Coolum and the Mooloolaba Spit and felt “empowered” to protect other areas.

“I want to be able to shield some communities from growth and from the pressure of expectation that you have to have growth equal through the whole Coast.

“I don’t believe in that.”

And developers would be mistaken if they thought financial support for his campaign would sway him.

“I have made it very clear that I am not interested in taking any funding from developers at all,” he said.

“That was clearly the issue before I became mayor of Maroochy shire – people tried to paint me as being in the pocket of developers but that is definitely not the case.”

While he believed a mayoral bid would cost at last $100,000 and require more than 300 volunteers, Mr Natoli said he also had no interest in forming an alliance with any political party.

“I don’t think péople here on the Sunshine Coast would be well served by party politics,” he said.

“I hope that if party politics does want to be involved in Sunshine Coast local council, people send them a very strong message and not support them.”