I was a trained volunteer firefighter with the Olinda CFA, and know from personal experience the commitment, skill and dedication that the volunteers have. I know the hours they put in, the dreadful scenarios they sometimes find themselves in, and the extensive time they give to support the community.
I’ve closely followed the Fire Services Reform Act progress and sought to get involved as a community board member - I think the extension of paid fire services into a larger area makes sense, and the clarity of volunteer status for CFA is logical, on paper, but it’s in the execution of the Act and it’s provisions that we need to be mindful that we don’t see any reduction in support, funding, or authority for the CFA.
So, I fully support CFA, see them as an integral part of our socially connected communities across the Dandenong Ranges and I intend to fully support them in the future. Local Councillors play an important role in helping bring focus to these issues and support pressure on State Government when necessary.
One of the reasons I’m standing as Councillor, is that I believe we need to have better socially connected communities across the Ranges. I know that a lot of work has been done to try and physically connect the villages and townships with walking paths and some improvements in bus routes, but we’re not connecting our people and our businesses well enough.
For example - did you know that from Sassafras you can reach nearly every part of Streeton Ward within the 5km lockdown radius - Council has not done enough to promote that and encourage ways to help people from across the region to (safely) move around and connect with our local businesses and organisations.
Getting more local, the idea of Transition Streets looks really viable as a way to help bring immediate neighbours together to help improve the environment for everyone. One thing I’ve learned from my work with community groups and volunteer organisations, is that they often need help with the administration, planning and keeping things moving. I think that could be the most valuable place where Council could play a part. There are really experienced project managers, business leaders and community support people in Council - both as council workers and (potentially) on the Council. The Transition Streets project doesn’t look like it’s asking for ratepayer money, but I think using the skills and experience of people like me to help you manage, co-ordinate and plan the sessions - like a business coach if you like - could be the way forward.
There are a few elements to this. Firstly, I want to champion and protect all our existing green spaces. Across our ward, and across the Shire, there are land use/zoning conventions that are consistently threatened by development and we're seeing incremental approvals of changes that make significant shifts in the longer term. I want to shift planning processes to consider not just the current proposal, but the ongoing and incremental approvals for land use change.
Secondly, we need to shift away from reliance on cars (fossil fuel powered) in the way that we aim to physically and socially connect our townships and attract tourism. Other pillars include supporting communities across Yarra Ranges to shift to sustainable lifestyles through education and mentoring.
I certainly am interested in community culture. I was a member of multiple amateur dramatics clubs. What I lack in talent I make for in passion and a deep belief that music and art are crucial for people of all ages and backgrounds to have access to.
I have personally sought permission from shops and home owners to put up posters and have checked that I comply with council regulations; after all, if you're standing for Council you should know what these are. I expect that my fellow candidates have all done the same, but am worried about the number of posters that are appearing on reserves, roadsides and attached to trees. Whilst it's important that you know who your local candidates are, I'm not sure we need to see these posters on every bend in the road.
Disused buildings are a wasted opportunity. There are so many needs in our community to create safe meeting places and help connect our people. Empty buildings are also not happy places for people to see, and from a financial perspective they still cost money to insure, protect and maintain.
Let’s assume there’s no major issues that could present a risk (asbestos, unsafe structure etc), and that it’s not right next door to residents who’s needs we need to consider also. I think we should explore how it can be re-purposed in some way. I know that Montrose has a really strong sense of community - I see that when I go to the shops and when I see how well used the reserve is. So my general answer is we should find out what local groups/organisations need space and how can we get them to use this space - that may mean they need to pay something towards it depending on the nature of the group. If we can’t find groups in Montrose - there may be needs elsewhere.
I know the cafe’s and bakers (eg Proserpina Bakehouse and Mount Dandenong Bakery) really do cater for the local community, but there are a host of local businesses that aren’t on high streets, which we can do a better job of connecting. I also think we can do a better job of helping people get around the community without having to rely on cars.
Two of the issues I”m standing on are physically and socially connected communities, and successful local business because I believe these two reinforce each other. I want to work within Council to find more ways to connect our townships for the benefit of locals. For example, you’ll know that (in normal times) outside of tourist seasons, there’s not many places open of an evening and I think we can look at planning solutions as well as business connection events to focus on this. After all, the COVID issues have shown us we need to build up resilience outside of reliance on visitors.
At home we talk about ‘keeping the money on the mountain’ when we need anything done like repairs or home improvements. I’d love to see a clear local directory that improves on the work that the Council has done with the Be Kind to Business Directory. If you haven’t seen that, check it out on the Yarra Ranges Council website. It’s a great start, but we can be a lot more pro-active to promote inclusion and share more information on this.
I know that road. I’ve been on a few horseback trail rides in that part of Montrose, it’s a great part of the area and I know just how frustrating it is to have the clouds of dust blowing all over the place.
What you propose seems reasonable to me - and while I can’t really determine how feasible the solutions are right now, I will certainly commit to helping you get answers about what is possible, explore whether there are other solutions, and what would need to happen to get it moving. It seems that you’ve done a fair bit of work to look into this already and it’s only right that you can get your voice raised. I’ll gladly help you do that and help advocate for improvements, after all graders cost money, water is a precious resource and you live in a residential bushland setting, not a main road.
I’m not doing this because I want your vote, I’m offering to do this because I firmly believe that Council has a duty to put our residents' needs at the heart of planning and you have the right to understand the ‘how’ and ‘why’ of any council decisions. That’s the way we build our community and that’s the way we keep our place special.
Re-building the local economy to recover from COVID and set us up for growth
Getting simple access to Council - both for normal services and planning matters.
Building connected and resilient communities with protected green spaces.
My plan of action
When I talk to business owners, local employers, and people who live or work here, the most pressing issue is the local economy; the financial and mental toll that COVID 19 has taken and the anxiety that it will take us years to recover.
If I’m elected, I will marshal all the resources of the Council to help rebuild our local economy. As part of this I will pro-actively connect businesses across the Shire to better promote local business. I will find ways to share Council experience and mentor and coach our business community. I will also ensure that local businesses always participate in Council tenders.
We need to focus on this in the short term so we can thrive in the longer term.
For many years, my only involvement with Council was paying rates and wondering where all that money went. Then I got involved with some local planning that impacted my immediate area (in Olinda) and realised just how little I knew about Council policy and process. I realised there is a better way Council could involve residents and ratepayers in decisions, and that we should all be more informed. Rather than sit on the side-lines, I decided I would put my business skills and experience to use for the local community and stand as an independent local candidate.
I want to connect Montrose more closely to the rest of the townships in the Dandenong Ranges so that we can help all our businesses thrive, and have all our communities connected.
I’ll promote Council commitments to buying from local businesses, and work to improve transport options around the Ranges area. To make sure this is grounded in reality, I will spend plenty of time in Montrose, working with the residents and businesses, to find out from you what you need to make the community and local business stronger.
I believe the best way for me to give back to the community is by doing the things I’m good at – which is translating strategy into action. I’ve recently been able to help a suicide crisis support centre to triple the number of volunteers they have recruited so they can better deal with the record increase in calls for help. Right now, there are so many people struggling with the social and economic impacts of COVID-19 and I feel really privileged that I’ve been able to make a difference in my own small way.
I believe I can make a positive difference to the way my neighbours and fellow residents experience local services. I feel that we can do better to hold the community at the heart of Council decision making, especially in planning matters and the way Council Services are delivered. I also want to see more transparency and pro-active communication from Council.
Three things:
helping local businesses recover from COVID-19 to become more resilient,
physically and socially connecting our townships & residents, and
protecting the green spaces that make our place so special. One simple solution would be a ‘hopper’ bus to help locals and tourists get from town to town without using cars.
My partner and I live in Olinda, working from home and enjoying the great fresh air. We shop locally and always use local trades to ‘keep the money in the Ranges’. Whilst the garden keeps me grounded, having a grown-up family means I’ve got plenty of time and energy to devote to helping out in our community.
I run my own management consulting business helping firms translate strategy into action. Alongside this I coach and mentor leaders at all levels to help them take the reins of their career. This work brings be into contact with a great variety of businesses and gives me the personal and professional flexibility to meet the commitments of being a Councillor.
I am not, and never have been, a member of a political party. Also, I have made a point of not seeking any donations for my campaign as I do not want to be beholden to any interest groups and prefer people spend with local businesses, rather than donating to campaigns.
I respectfully acknowledge the traditional owners, the Wurundjeri people, as the custodians of this land. I pay my respects to all Aboriginal community Elders, past and present, who have resided in the area and have been an integral part of the history of the region.