Are you a member of a political party, political group, or community advocacy group? (eg; Labor, Liberal, Greens, Socialist, My Place, Angry Victorians, Better West, environment groups, etc)
As an independent candidate, my focus is solely on our community’s well-being, free from party policies or donor interests.
What is the most important issue facing your electorate?
The biggest issue is ensuring the council listens to and represents Hobsons Bay residents. Current council practices don’t represent a council that represents the people, with restrictive access to meetings, unanswered public questions, and costly, unnecessary security measures. The exclusion of affected residents from task forces, such as Techno Park’s eviction issue, shows the council’s lack of consideration for those it represents. The council should serve, not hide from, its community.
Should/how can Council support local businesses?
I support running local events to attract visitors and boost spending at local businesses. I also favour incentives and support for new and small businesses, provided they show accountability and deliver tangible results.
Should/how can Council support local creatives and industries?
I support fostering existing creative programs, such as the library maker space, FreeZA, and Renew Williamstown, which promote creativity, training, and economic revitalisation. Encouraging local venues to host live music is also essential to supporting our creative community.
Should/how can Council help alleviate the impact of climate extremes on local communities and ecosystems?
The council should lead by example, incorporating renewable energy, water catchment, and sustainable practices in council buildings. Addressing climate change should be proactive, not an afterthought. Measures, such as reducing utility use, preventing litter, and creating safer bike paths (separate from roads), also offer public health and financial benefits.
Should/how can Council help alleviate cost of living and homelessness?
Working with residents ensures solutions benefit everyone. The Techno Park issue has shown how failing to consult residents causes distress, wastes rate-payer money, and achieved no positive outcomes.
The ban on sleeping in vehicles in Hobsons Bay is unacceptable. We should explore creating safe RV-friendly areas with facilities and security, benefiting both rough sleepers and travelers, boosting local spending, and providing contact points for social services.
We can tackle cost-of-living and homelessness by better using existing resources. The 2021 Census showed 1,043,776 unoccupied homes, enough to house the recorded 122,494 homeless people eight times over. Let’s use these resources wisely.
What should Council stop spending money on?
Unnecessary expenses, like using excessive security for public meetings, waste ratepayer funds. Listening to residents and focusing resources on genuine community needs would reduce spending on council PR campaigns.
Should the public be allowed to ask live, unscripted questions of councillors during council meetings?
Yes. The council should be there to serve the public. How can they do this without allowing the public to have their voices heard. This shouldn’t replace the option of submitting per-submitted questions, so council can do prier research, but done alongside it.
Can you please provide a short personal statement detailing what your priorities are if elected, and what your vision for your electorate looks like.
If elected to represent Altona Meadows ward, I will work to:
- Bring transparency and accountability back to Council
- Fight for practical housing and cost-of-living solutions, ensuring Techno Park residents can stay in their homes
- Ensure Council decisions reflect community need
- Bring transparency and accountability back to Council
