Baludarri-Balmain Ward
Inner West Council
I have had the great honour to serve my community since 1998 and as your Councillor since 2008. I am now seeking my FOURTH term on Council.
· Councillor - Inner West Council/Leichhardt Council (2008-12, 2014-16, 2017-current)
· Chairperson & member - Balmain/White Bay Resident Precinct Committee (1998-2008)
Councillors make major decisions which affect you. With wards of 41,000 people, your Councillors should LIVE in your ward. I have ALWAYS lived in my ward as a member of my community. In 2017, a massive 43% of the Balmain Ward vote went to a candidate who did NOT live in our ward. Let’s bring this vote back to BALMAIN WARD!
The first term of Inner West Council saw a revolving door of five GMs, leadership tensions, and a significant loss of senior management talent. Also, 7 of the 10 Labor and Green Councillors are retiring, a clear signal of problems. Council needs NEW leadership and must develop a culture of pride in serving our community.
Over a term, Council’s revenue is a huge $1.3 billion. Council’s ability to deliver quality services, major projects, innovative environment and sustainability programs, social policy initiatives, leading arts and culture programs must be firmly based on sound financial management. Council’s ongoing budget deficits need to be controlled.
Residents are concerned about the decline in service standards.
Council must conduct a full service review which focuses on community expectations.
Our Council has the 5th highest population density and the 3rd lowest open space ratio of all 130 NSW Councils. Our population growth is running at 10,000 new people every 5 years. Planning must be managed well so that our amenity, quality of life, heritage and local environment are not compromised.
Local participation in sports, health and fitness is high. The shortage of sports fields and other facilities is clear in Council’s Recreation & Open Space Study. Opportunities such as the Rozelle Marshalling Yards are critical for us. Working with sporting clubs to understand their needs and the pressures on them, is vital.
Leichhardt Council was a leader in progressive environmental policy and climate change. Inner West Council politicises these. Council must get back to delivering strong environmental programs and utilise the enormous resources and goodwill of our community.
We love our shopping villages, restaurants and pubs. As your Councillor, I will continue to work with local businesses to ensure that our diverse and vibrant shopping villages flourish.
The great talent and experience that our residents contributed to the previous Councils needs to return. Open Council committees must be restored. Council needs to support community and volunteer participation and value the huge benefit this brings to our Council and community.
Councils all over Australia capably deliver services, major projects and innovative programs WITHOUT INTERFERENCE from the big political parties. Most Australians do not have, or want, interference from the big parties at the local level. That’s because political party agendas drown out local community interests.
The political parties have 12 seats on Council and are desperate to win ALL 15 seats. I am sure that the progressive people of the Inner West would see this as regressive. We value diversity and participation. Let’s demonstrate this at the local election. Let’s have broad and progressive representation not just political party representation.
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