TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY
During my previous term as Mayor I championed the increase of transparency and accountability within Local Government, both internally within Mitcham Council and also in a broader sense through bringing motions to the LGA.
Some of my achievements were:
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Publishing all Elected Member expense claims on the Council website
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I successfully moved a motion (on my second attempt) to have any Elected Member who chooses to run for a State or Federal seat immediately relinquish their Council allowance for the duration of their campaign
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A new KPI for the CEO was introduced to not hire any new staff, actively putting downward pressure on wages
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I successfully passed a motion to publish the cost of all Council reports on the front page - I believe this increases both transparency and accountability
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We have had no overseas travel for Elected Members or Staff in Mitcham, I have been vocal in opposing the need for such travel and question whether there is any direct benefit to the community
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We have tightened our already strict policy around the use of staff credit cards
I also attempted to pass a motion through the LGA, but was unfortunately unsuccessful, to mandate that all Local Government candidates should declare political memberships prior to an elected to allow voters a fully transparent process.
I am a very strong believer in accountability and transparency from within Local Government, there is plenty of work still to do in this area and this would be at the forefront of my agenda should I be elected.
SPORTING AND COMMUNITY GROUPS
I am a strong advocate of young people participating in organised sport, I think that there are countless benefits for the community as a whole. I believe the values instilled by sporting clubs underpin an engaged community. I will continue to advocate for, support, and promote our many clubs in Mitcham. I hope to see further developments in the future, ideally with State or Federal Government funding and with a particular focus on facilities for women's sport (such as change rooms etc). We are fortunate to have a high level of volunteer participation in our city and I thank and acknowledge those that help their fellow residents and community. We have volunteers that give their time and skills across a varied range of groups, from libraries, history groups, nature groups, rotary and many others.
CUTTING PERKS AND BENEFITS
I lead by example and will once again decline a ratepayer funded vehicle. If elected I will continue to provide my own transport, saving ratepayers over $60,000.00.
I do not believe that overseas or interstate travel is necessary for Council staff or Elected Members, as I strongly question whether there is any direct benefit to the community. It is important to me that Mitcham is meeting the expectations of the community, and that is ensuring ratepayers are not funding any outlandish perks for staff such as luxury golf memberships, investigating Teslas for executive management or similar.
HERITAGE AND GREEN SPACES
LOW RATES
Rates are one of the major concerns held my many in our community. This has been reiterated to me again and again through conversation with thousands of residents. Without rate capping we need strong representation and elected members who will fight to keep rates low. Disappointingly the current Mayor has used her casting vote to deliver the highest possible rate increase. We are now facing a cost of living crisis, with many of our most vulnerable community members struggling to make ends meet. An efficient and focused Council will be more essential than ever.
I am committed to being a strong representative for residents and will continue to put downward pressure on rates should I be re-elected. I believe there is still much that we can achieve in the way of challenging ourselves to improve the delivery of services.
KEEP PARTY POLITICS OUT OF MITCHAM
I have been a vocal critic of political interference within our Councils. I believe that all Elected Members, but in particular Mayors, should be free of political influence so that they are able to best represent residents interests. Mayors who are endorsed, funded or supported onto Council are invariably tied to the interests of that political party in some way. As a truly independent candidate, I have previously successfully worked with MP's and candidates of all political persuasions for the benefit of Mitcham. I have successfully taken advantage of State and Federal elections to secure funding for local projects from both major parties - meaning that funding will be guaranteed no matter who forms government.
I commit to serve the ratepayers for a full term and will never abandon my duties as Mayor to run for State and Federal Government.
My family have lived in Mitcham for 35 years and we love the character of the city. We have Belair National Park on our doorstep, Carrick Hill, Waite Reserve and many other parks and gardens. I believe that our heritage suburbs should be protected with common sense development practices, our children grew up feeding the ducks in Mitcham Reserve and future generations should be able to enjoy the same sorts of activities.
It is vital that we protect our green spaces and tree canopy.
I have been a strong supporter of the new Mitcham Memorial Library re- development and surrounding grounds. Our heritage and green spaces are part of what makes the City of Mitcham such a great place to live, and these need to be protected for future generations.
FAQ
HOW IS YOUR CAMPAIGN FUNDED?
I am 100% self-funded. I will not be accepting financial donations of any kind, from any political party, union, business, individual or other group. I believe this is the only way I can be truly free to represent the best interests of residents.
I am a truly independent candidate.
WHAT ARE YOU PROMISING?
I will always put the ratepayers interests first.
I will provide strong leadership.
I will campion low rates.
I will never abandon ratepayers to run for State or Federal Government.
I will not make any promises of funding for large developments or grants, I believe this to be an incredibly misleading and unethical practice.
ARE YOU TIED TO ANY POLIITCAL PARTY?
Absolutely not. I have never been a member of a political party. I believe it is extremely important for Mayors to be free of outside political interference so that they can advocate for the local area and residents with whomever forms government.
DO YOU HAVE BUSINESS INTERESTS IN THE AREA?
No. I own and operate my own small business outside the City of Mitcham. I have no financial or commercial interest in the City of Mitcham. It is simply my home, where myself and my family have lived for over 35 years. My only motivation for standing for Mayor is to make a positive difference in our Local Government.