Questions For Candidates
Blue Mountains City Council
2012 Election
Ward 2

There are 3 "lead" candidates in Ward 2.

The candidates, their party and their full response to the Society's questionnaire as a pdf are listed below. Candidates are listed in the order they will appear on the ballot paper.

Detailed below is a comparison of the candidates' responses. The last item on the questionnaire - a statement of personal conservation values - is provided first.
6. Personal conservation values
Provide a brief statement of your personal conservation values – limit your statement to 100 words.

Geordie Williamson  (The Greens)
Our ways of interacting with - and thinking about - the world have become increasingly decoupled from its reality in recent decades. We have allowed intermediaries whose main aim is profit to interpose themselves between ourselves and everything from our food to our neighbours and even our political processes. Conservation demands a direct and unmediated relationship between individual, group, and world. It asks us to consider our responsibilities towards a particular place. It obliges us to see ourselves as implicated in place rather than divorced from it. I can think of no more important relationship to repair. All others flow from it.
Romola Hollywood  (Labor)
Like so many people in the mountains, I live here because I enjoy the proximity to our beautiful bushland and National Parks. It is a privilege to live in a World Heritage Area and, if elected, I will be a strong advocate against any measures that threaten our World Heritage status. My commitment to protection of our environment is demonstrated through my support for the campaign to stop the expansion of open-cut mining into the Ben Bullen State Forest, and I have publicly opposed recreational hunting in National Parks. If elected, I will work to create more sustainable local communities.

Chris Van der Kley  (Liberal)    Note: this is a Liberal Party Candidates Joint Response

Preface

What follows is a tabulation of the candidate's responses to the questionnaire.

Each question has an implicit preface of "As a BMCC Councillor would you".

Candidates were asked to answer each question with a "yes" or "no" - there being no assumed answer if left blank.

1. Natural areas and wildlife
    a. Bushland protection and restoration
  1. Support Council's current funding to Bushcare activities being maintained.
Candidate Party Response Comment
Geordie Williamson The Greens YES
Romola Hollywood Labor YES
Chris Van der Kley Liberal YES

  1. Support the Council taking measures to oppose recreational hunting in National Parks.
Candidate Party Response Comment
Geordie Williamson The Greens YES
Romola Hollywood Labor YES
Chris Van der Kley Liberal We are opposed to recreational hunting in the Blue Mountains National Park

    b. Responsible Pet Ownership
  1. Support the Council continuing to advocate to extend the existing state Companion Animal legislation to domestic cats.
Candidate Party Response Comment
Geordie Williamson The Greens NO I agree that cats can be destructive – they’re programmed to kill. But to treat them like dogs is to misunderstand their nature. Cats cannot be restricted to a particular area. They cannot be easily collected for a nightly curfew. Legislation that treats them as if they can be will be unfairly punitive.
Romola Hollywood Labor YES Yes, in principle but it is also important find ways to address community concerns so that benefits are understood and pet owners are supported to make change over time.
Chris Van der Kley Liberal NO

2. Urban sustainability
  1. Support the introduction of water bubblers so people can recharge their water bottles.
Candidate Party Response Comment
Geordie Williamson The Greens YES
Romola Hollywood Labor YES Yes In principle pending community consultation (my work with the community during my campaign suggests improving pedestrian safety on local roads so people can walk is a greater priority for urban sustainability)
Chris Van der Kley Liberal We support the introduction of water bubblers, subject to available funding

  1. Support Council extending its existing environmental levy for another five years to support essential Council environmental programs.
Candidate Party Response Comment
Geordie Williamson The Greens YES
Romola Hollywood Labor YES Yes In principle pending to community consultation and clear articulation of outcomes to be achieved.
Chris Van der Kley Liberal YES

  1. Support Council in supporting and promoting practical sustainability initiatives developed by local community organisations to lower the community’s greenhouse gas emissions.
Candidate Party Response Comment
Geordie Williamson The Greens YES
Romola Hollywood Labor YES
Chris Van der Kley Liberal We support sustainable practices

3. Pollution and waste
  1. Support the introduction of a Green Bin for garden waste while retaining the chipping service.
Candidate Party Response Comment
Geordie Williamson The Greens YES
Romola Hollywood Labor YES
Chris Van der Kley Liberal We support a review of the way we manage green waste in the Blue Mountains. We would like such a review to examine the possible introduction of green bins.

  1. Support the introduction of an annual e-waste collection.
Candidate Party Response Comment
Geordie Williamson The Greens YES
Romola Hollywood Labor YES
Chris Van der Kley Liberal YES


4. Planning and development
Preamble. Council has two local environmental plans (LEPs) governing how and where new development can proceed, and what environmental assessment standards new developments must meet.

LEP 2005 was developed after extensive and thorough community consultation and covers the more developed areas such as the towns and villages. The older LEP 1991 covers the bushland and rural areas.

Both LEPs must be reviewed and updated as part of the NSW government planning reforms, including conforming to a consistent format and style set by the NSW government (the "LEP standard template").

  1. Support ensuring all the existing environmental protection measures currently included in LEP 2005 are not undermined or removed in any updating or revision, including existing provisions related to Protected Areas and those related to minimising environmental impacts of new development, and retaining all areas currently zoned environmental protection.
Candidate Party Response Comment
Geordie Williamson The Greens YES
Romola Hollywood Labor YES
Chris Van der Kley Liberal YES

  1. Support ensuring that LEP 1991 is updated and developed consistent with the provisions, methodology and approach taken in LEP 2005, including provisions related to Protected Areas and those related to minimising environmental impacts of new development, as well as retaining all areas currently zoned environmental protection.
Candidate Party Response Comment
Geordie Williamson The Greens YES
Romola Hollywood Labor YES
Chris Van der Kley Liberal We believe LEP 1991 should be updated so the environmental protection measures are consistent with LEP 2005.

  1. Support Council taking all reasonable steps to restrict one-off “spot” rezoning of land outside of the process of reviewing LEP 2005 and LEP 1991.
Candidate Party Response Comment
Geordie Williamson The Greens YES
Romola Hollywood Labor YES
Chris Van der Kley Liberal NO

5. Public participation and accountability
  1. Support the opportunity for the community to provide informed and timely input into Council decision-making at a strategic and policy level prior to decisions being made - particularly in respect to LEP planning processes.
Candidate Party Response Comment
Geordie Williamson The Greens YES
Romola Hollywood Labor YES
Chris Van der Kley Liberal YES



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