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Collapse Issue 565:<br />20 Mar 2023<br />_____________Issue 565:
20 Mar 2023
_____________
Collapse  NEWS NEWS
Varroa mite found on the Peninsula
Bus catches alight in Brisbane Ave
Italian Weekend planned for Ettalong in April
Happy ending for extended magpie family
First prizes to CWA branch members
Clean-up program 'uncertain' after trailer failure
Minister says koala translocation budget is exhausted
Fire brigade holds information night
Residents asked to complain about phone reception
The attraction of arboretum working bees
Fire fighters visit pre-schoolers
House fire in Booker Bay
Greens would introduce free public transport
Four election candidate join to protect Kariong land
Six groups receive Community Building funding
New kitchen opens at aged care home
Award for Latvian dresses doll
'Creative building fun' at library
Meditation to celebrate International Women's Day
Progress association wins top Tidy Towns award
Inner peace at Woy Woy library
Peninsula groups raise money through monster raffle
Painting workshop at Woy Woy library
CWA branch holds annual Easter raffle
Marine Rescue members receive new ratings
Brigade removes tree branch from road
Rotary club plants peace poles in Uganda
Restaurant celebrates five years of trading
Another dry month for the Peninsula?
Collapse  PLANNING PLANNING
Dual occupancy 'complies with planning provisions'
Parking and open space not compliant in three-unit plan
Collapse  FORUM FORUM
No greater disservice than to disenfranchise the voters
Where's the 'fair go' in this election?
When 'all Australia' does not include New South Wales
Gosford waterfront may stall at the drawings stage
Collapse  HEALTH HEALTH
Active case numbers triple in Woy Woy
Hospital phones temporarily out of action
Super-hero gift packs prepared for Gosford Hospital
Collapse  ARTS ARTS
Opera was 'great success with beautiful weather'
Keith Potger to pay tribute to the Seekers at Troubadour
Cushion covers completed over two weeks
Organist wanted by nursing home
Collapse  EDUCATION EDUCATION
Student leaders attend young leaders conference
Music students to present a Night Under The Stars
Splashathon to be held on the last day of term
Fostering an intergenerational relationship
Donations made to Ettalong Public School
Under-14s team makes Buckley Shield final
Harmony Day to be celebrated on Friday
Parent-teacher interviews to require internet access
Kiera is Griffin of the Week
Students produce their own podcasts
Breakfast club serves 300 slices of bread
Boys water polo team plays in championships
St John's holds open days
Collapse  SPORT SPORT
Three Ettalong bowlers play in senior zone final
Swampies golf club donate to Kids in Need
Rugby club seeks players with 'transferable skills'
Top tennis results in junior state championships
Ducklings make it to grand final
Turn Around Triples attracts 28 teams
Bridge competition attracts less experienced players
Upside Down Pairs held at bridge club
Netball association holds meet and greet for umpires
Junior touch club holds presentations
First round of triples championship
Collapse  BLUE PANEL BLUE PANEL
Our 24th birthday - and another election
Collapse  ELECTION ELECTION
Pre-polling and polling booths on the Peninsula
GREENS - Hilary van Haren
LIBERAL - Dee Bocking
LABOR - Liesl Tesch
INDEPENDENT - Lisa Bellamy
Questions for the candidates: Do you support?
How responsive are our candidates to local concerns?
Two residents are Upper House candidates

EXTRA!!!

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INDEPENDENT - Lisa Bellamy

N I am a long-time resident of the Central Coast and am no stranger to the challenges of everyday life in Gosford and on the Peninsula.

I originally decided to run in this election, not because I thought I could win, but to raise awareness and get some action from our sitting MP on environmental issues.

However, since starting this campaign I have become aware of other challenges facing our community, including the lack of consultation and transparency in government decisions that affect us. ANSWERS TO RESIDENT QUESTIONS

Local Democracy

I was in a Central Coast Council meeting recently where I had the misfortune of watching 'democracy' in action.

Our council is not a council. It is a dictatorship.

There is some semblance of community consultation, which once "heard" is swiftly swept under the table and then decisions that affect everyone on the Peninsula are made with a nod from the Administrator.

The election of new councillors won't happen until September 2024.

This is just not good enough.

How many community assets will be sold off and unwanted developments approved by then?

We need proper representation now, not towards the end of next year.

The Administrator wants to reduce the number of wards from five to three, maintaining three councillors to represent each ward.

I believe that the success of this structure, regardless of the population number in each ward, depends solely on the quality of the councillors we elect.

However, in saying that, I do think the Peninsula has been the poor cousin to Gosford for too long, and has unique qualities, assets, and issues, that would benefit from being its own ward.

Governance

Elected officials should be doing more to explain to the community how their policy decisions are being informed, funded, and measured.

How else can our council gain the community's trust?

Councillors should have the full right to question Council staff, directors, and employees, and the council staff and the councillors themselves should be subject to regular, transparent, independent, impartial audits which should be published.

Fixed-contract tenure should be introduced for senior council staff.

Working with the community

I passionately believe we need local solutions for local issues, made by local individuals and community organisations.

Let's listen to our wise elders (of all backgrounds) and our young people.

Meaningful community consultation and community licence to influence decisions is needed in our local Council, not just the ability to make a three-minute speech, or put in a submission, all which can be, and usually are, ignored.

To make these consultations meaningful, we need the local community groups who have already demonstrated both forethought and initiative to have some actual influence over decision-making and the decisions published.

In return, I am confident that they would be willing to engage the broader community to re-write the strategies, plans, and policies using clear and accessible language for us all.

The rule of law

No one in the community is going to feel like engaging with a Development Control Plan that is half an inch thick.

Have the local community re-write it as an exercise in community engagement and shared decision making.

Only then will we receive any measure of integrity from the Land and Environment Court.

Liveable neighbourhoods

The Peninsula is heating up.

The indiscriminate removal of trees and green spaces on the Peninsular is creating an urban heat island.

I would stop all tree removal immediately.

I would mandate tree planting on the sides of the streets and provide support for some of our fantastic community groups such as GUST (Grow Urban Shade Trees) which do a marvellous work planting trees in public places on the Peninsular.

Commercial developments such as the new shopping centre on Ocean Beach Rd is a showcase of what not to do.

Every tree and green area have been removed and replaced with concrete and buildings.

To rectify this, large shade trees need to be planted around the perimeter.

Otherwise, Lone Pine Ave will not even have a lone pine.

The harsh reality is that land will become less affordable on the Peninsula.

We really need some imaginative ideas when it comes to affordable housing.

What makes the Peninsula so appealing are the shady back lanes, the frangipanis in the front yards, the parks, tree lined roads and unique waterfronts.

Let's find ways to keep the character and history that is the Peninsula, while moving forward as a community facing the challenges of sustainability and liveability.





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