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Election 2007 - What the candidates
said
The Glebe Society tasked several members to take
notes during the Meet the Candidates evening at Forest Lodge on 7 March,
and short write summaries of the candidates' presentations. Here are
their reports. You can listen to the presentations in full by clicking
on the audio links below.
Summaries are arranged in speaking order which was
determined by a draw from a "hat".
We don't have the resources to report the numerous questions put to
candidates, other than to report that the Blackwattle Cove Coalition's
push to replace the gaol-like fence around Wentworth Park with something
more community-friendly was generally supported. The recording of
question time is of variable quality as the candidates often spoke away
from the microphone. However anyone who is interested should email
Bruce Davis.
Peter Shmigel (Liberal)
• Has been working with Forest Lodge school concerning flashing lights
at crossing. Standing because we deserve better after 12 years. It takes
36 minutes from Glebe Point Road to the City. Public transport not
improving, traffic increasing, as is pollution. Government is pursuing a
car policy.
• Lack of policing. People don't feel safe.
• Too much inappropriate development. Lived six years in Glebe, now in
Haberfield with wife and two children. Used to run sustainability
company, and before that worked for Liberal Minister for Environment.
• Described himself as pragmatic and problem solving, not ideological.
Believes in balanced budgets, small government. Climate change is
biggest problem. Believes in taking responsibility, finding solutions
and fixing things.
• Is not a councilor, and believes you can't be one and an MP and do a
good job. If elected will draw up community contract, entailing monthly
meetings with a citizen council to ensure his accountability.
Answers to Glebe Society questions
Development:
Community doesn't get a say. Liberal policy is for an Inner Harbour
Strategy with independent experts and resident participation. Suspend
all development until strategy established. Believes Harbour is for
many, not the few.
Transport:
Government builds roads and bridges and is slave to the RTA. Liberal
government will abolish RTA and put all transport modes on an equal
level. It will impose a four-year freeze on road projects, extend light
rail to the Quay, and introduce fast ferry service, perhaps including
Blackwattle Bay. Where has RTA study of Bridge Road gone?
Glebe Estate:
Present government maligns its own people. There is now a third
generation of dependency. Local Housing office is very badly run. Does
not believe in social engineering, but in sitting down with people such
as Joe Mannix.
Global warming:
We are too dependent on coal and vehicles. Runs his own zero carbon
campaign, hence his bike and trailer. Opposes the Anvil Hill mine.
Questions desalination as solution to water crisis: better to harvest
stormwater.
Family support:
The problem is NSW is the worst performing state, and the solution is to
revive the economy.
Listen to full presentation
Cr Verity Firth (Labor)
• Grew up in Glebe and currently lives here.
• Lawyer and Glebe-based councillor on Sydney City Council.
Answers to Glebe Society questions
Family support:
Changing demographic of area requires:
• more childcare places
• school infrastructure
• more public space and more green space
• greater youth support and increased TAFE opportunities (including the
Year 10 program through
Glebe Youth Service
• noted that over 360 mental health beds were being built and reopened
across the State over the next three years
• 24 new police officers have been allocated to the area
Development of the Bays:
• Supported continued maritime use for rowers, dragon boats, kayaks and
barges
• Proposed dry boat storage is far too large for Blackwattle Bay; bay
already too busy, power boats will create massive wash problems and
there is limited existing harbour space for passive recreation
• 24/7 maritime operations inappropriate
• Believed the community should sustain its campaign against the dry
boat storage development
• Noted the Ports Growth Plan which will provide, inter alia, a 17 km
harbour foreshore walk from
Woolloomooloo
Transport and Traffic:
• Urged inner-city residents to get out of their cars
• Supported extension of light rail to the west; the Hickson Road
alternate route should be investigated, particularly in view of the
proposed East Darling Harbour development
• Noted that a redeveloped Leichhardt bus depot will house Australia's
lowest greenhouse emitting bus fleet and provide more buses for the
Inner West
• Committed to cycle and pedestrian pathways; supports the City of
Sydney cycling strategy
• Supported measures to slow traffic and discourage heavy vehicles on
Bridge Road
Glebe Estate:
• Intrinsic part of Glebe
• Noted $400m had been removed from NSW public housing by the Federal
Government
• State Government had allocated $60.2m increase in affordable public
housing funding in inner city
• Handyperson to be employed on the Glebe Estate under new Handypersons
Program
Global warming:
• Number of national parks had increased from 328 to 770 during
government's term of office, declaration of six marine parks; 2 million
hectares of wilderness areas in NSW
• Government had established strict targets to reduce greenhouse gasses
• Government was first in the world to establish a mandatory carbon
emissions trading scheme
• Establishment of a $310m climate change fund
Water Management:
• Since 1995, government has quadrupled the amount of water recycled in
Sydney through industry and residential programs
Listen to full presentation
Ms Jane Ward (Independent)
• The policies quoted now were developed by me 20 years ago.
• I want to work for the electorate
• I have a background in the management of community services
• Main concerns are pre-school services, and lone parent services.
Development of the Bays:
• The Heritage Fleet should stay in Blackwattle Bay
• Concerned that although Cr Firth has her views about this, she will be
powerless in the Labor Party machine
• Supports the use of non-motorised craft in the bays
• Interested in the potential development of White Bay
• Cycle paths should follow the foreshore continuously
Public Transport:
• All public transport should run on non-fossil fuels
• Strongly in favour of integrated ticketing
• Children should ride free
• Networks of cycleways should be provided
• Public transport should focus on providing transport for the whole
journey to work
Glebe Estate:
• Should be retained and improved
• Estate has a strong sense of community, pride and integration
• Active and passive open spaces should be provided
Global Warming:
• Should be dealt with through the application of modern science
• Not enough is being done by the State and Federal governments
• Solve the shortage of water by capturing stormwater
Planning:
• Planning has been ad-hoc for years
Listen to full presentation
Ms Rochelle Porteous (Greens)
• Represents social and economic justice for all, and environmental
sustainability.
• Lives in Leichhardt, is a Leichhardt Councillor, and is a tertiary
educated professional. .
She developed the urban forest policy with
Leichhardt Council and is currently campaigning to stop the White Bay
cement terminal and the dry boat storage on Rozelle Bay
Answers to Glebe Society questions
Development of the Bays:
• Believes the dry boat storage would present an unacceptable impact on
the environment. The Greens have consistently campaigned against this.
• The Greens support passive uses in the bays and believe a moratorium
should be placed on all developments until a vsionary and strategic
master plan is agreed for the bays.
Planning Laws:
• Believes the minister should not have the power to override
communities. The two major parties campaigned for part 3 in the EP and A
act to be changed giving the planning minister overriding power and
negating community input. The Greens will work to revoke this change in
the Act.
• The major parties rely on funding from developers so developers enjoy
political decisions in their favour, marginalising the interests of the
community.
Public Transport and through traffic:
• Motorways offer very are short-term solutions to traffic congestion as
they encourage the use of private transport, which increases congestion
on the roads.
• Bridge Road is already dangerous and is seen by the RTA as a major
arterial road. Believes it should be classified as a residential road
with a 40kmh speed limit. Would support blocking off the Bridge Road
near the Fish Market.
• Investment in public transport, cycleways and buses is the way to
truly address the overcrowding problem on the roads.
Glebe Estate:
• Has had discussions with many tenants of the Glebe Estate. Believes
the Reshaping Housing policy has caused hardship in families by causing
rent increases. Will introduce a bill to parliament to change the act.
• Is concerned about the lack of maintenance of buildings due to a
poorly run system that needs a complete overhaul.
• More youth mentoring and training and employment programs needed.
Glebe Community Centre is doing a fantastic job and this is the sort of
thing we should be moving towards.
Family support:
• Greens policies for disadvantaged families address issues such as
child abuse and neglect, justice, education, homelessness, childcare,
health, and employment and training.
• The Greens support a policy of two years free preschool for children,
and increased funding for community childcare centres.
• Course fees for TAFE should be abolished.
Global Warming:
• The Greens is the party that is serious about Global warming.
• Supports use of renewable energy. We need a high mandatory target.
• Say no to new nuclear power, new coal mines and new coal-fired power
stations.
Water:
• Greens' policies include local water harvesting and storage, water
reuse, and rebates for the installation of water tanks.
Listen to full presentation
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