Key policies
Over the last few years I have become increasingly frustrated at the poor performance of our Council.
We need a fresh start to get back to basics and restore the pride in a quality community.
We deserve better. Download my election policies brochure.
There are numerous issues of concern to me including:
The failure to undertake basic maintenance on our roads, foreshores and parks.
Managing beach erosion and allowing contaminated water to pollute the bay at various outlets. The worst being at the bottom of ‘The Avenue’ in McCrae.
Little to no upgrades of our playgrounds
The lack of safe paths for pedestrians and bike lanes for cyclists around Anthony’s Nose on Point Nepean road from McCrae to Dromana.
A new Council levy of 3% levy that will apply to any proposed new residential homes making all properties more expensive. What are they thinking!
The waste of hundreds of thousand of dollars of our rates on expensive consultants, on numerous reviews such as extending paid parking across the shire or the CEO’s performance assessment to name a couple.
Over the past 4 years our rates have increased by the maximum permissible.
No attempt to keep our rates low in this cost of living crisis.
Rates, Parking Charges and Housing Levies
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RATES
I have a proven track record of keeping rates and charges low as a past Councillor in the City of Melbourne and Shire of Nillumbik where in some years we had no increases and generally below the government cap.
My target is to have no increase next year and always be below the maximum permissible rate cap.
Council has put up the rates by over 11.5% since 2020.
Taking millions of additional dollars from your pockets.Waste service charges have climbed even faster at 8 to 10.7% per annum.
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HOUSING LEVIES
Council has resolved to implement a new minimum 3% development levy on all new dwellings and development. It is unclear if it will be the contract value or on the completed project cost.
On a $1 million dollar home that would be a new levy of $30,000 for no services.
This must be stopped. Making your home more expensive is unfair.
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CHARGES AND METERED PARKING
One of the first decisions of the new Council will be to determine a final policy on expanding paid parking in our retail and beach carparks.
Councils current trial has been a disaster impacting badly on retailers and locals alike. Charging $6.20 per hour or $19.50 a day.
My view is to cease this program immediately. It has not and will not work in our strip shopping centres or beach carparks.
If implemented it would encourage cars to park in a few streets back from the effected area and not achieve revenue, annoy rate payers and retailers.
Stormwater pollution and beach erosion
One of the main reasons I am standing for Council is the lack of action and accountability by Council for polluted stormwater entering the bay from Rosebud to Dromana.
The worst and most offensive outfall drain is in McCrae at the end of The Avenue.
It has been measured as 600 times above the recommended limit for polluted water entering the bay. The preferred maximum is between 300 to 400 parts of Ecoli to be acceptable.
This drain has been measured by the authorities at 2400 parts of Ecoli.
Council continue to ignore the problem despite the likelihood of causing infections to swimmers and those who come into contact with the watercourse as well as the overall pollution to the bay.
As the manager of the beach and foreshore Council should care about the massive impacts it makes on beach erosion at each stormwater surge.
This has been a problem for decades and despite my efforts Council will not take the problem seriously. We need a plan and costings.
Part of the resolution to this issue should include a joint project with Melbourne Water who share some responsibility.
I will make this a high priority project and get an appropriate response implemented in this term of Council and assess options to fix similar issues along the other drainage outlets.
