Questions For Candidates
Blue Mountains City Council
2012 Election
Blue Mountains City Council
2012 Election
Ward 3
There are 4 "lead" candidates in Ward 3.
As Brendan Luchetti (Independent) did not respond he has been excluded from this presentation.
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.- Michael Aaronson (The Greens) candidate's response
- Mick Fell (Labor) candidate's response
- Daniel Myles (Liberal) Liberal Party joint response
6. Personal conservation values
Provide a brief statement of your personal conservation values – limit your statement to 100 words.
Michael Aaronson (The Greens)
We need to protect the Blue Mountains National Park, for its own sake, and for future generations, against the constant pressures to encroach on it.
Mick Fell (Labor)
We live in a unique World Heritage listed environment. This brings with it a responsibility to develop and implement unique, appropriate protection measures.
New development should be sustainable and compatible with our current pattern of towns and villages. It should also enhance the natural features of the area, not have an adverse impact.
Council should also ensure that our activities – our employment options, management of the waste we produce, recreational activities, etc. do not degrade the environment.
We live in an area with thousands of years of human occupation and have a collective obligation to act as responsible stewards.
New development should be sustainable and compatible with our current pattern of towns and villages. It should also enhance the natural features of the area, not have an adverse impact.
Council should also ensure that our activities – our employment options, management of the waste we produce, recreational activities, etc. do not degrade the environment.
We live in an area with thousands of years of human occupation and have a collective obligation to act as responsible stewards.
Daniel Myles (Liberal) Note: this is a Liberal Party Candidates Joint Response
- We are opposed to recreational hunting in the Blue Mountains National Park
- We support the introduction of water bubblers, subject to available funding
- We support sustainable practices
- 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.
- We believe LEP 1991 should be updated so the environmental protection measures are consistent with LEP 2005.
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
- Support Council's current funding to Bushcare activities being maintained.
| Candidate | Party | Response | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Aaronson | The Greens | YES | |
| Mick Fell | Labor | YES | |
| Daniel Myles | Liberal | YES |
- Support the Council taking measures to oppose recreational hunting in National Parks.
| Candidate | Party | Response | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Aaronson | The Greens | YES | |
| Mick Fell | Labor | YES | |
| Daniel Myles | Liberal | We are opposed to recreational hunting in the Blue Mountains National Park |
b. Responsible Pet Ownership
- Support the Council continuing to advocate to extend the existing state Companion Animal legislation to domestic cats.
| Candidate | Party | Response | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Aaronson | The Greens | YES | Cats are currently included in Part 4 of the NSW Companion Animals Act 1998. |
| Mick Fell | Labor | YES | YES In principle, Subject to examination of suitability. |
| Daniel Myles | Liberal | NO |
2. Urban sustainability
- Support the introduction of water bubblers so people can recharge their water bottles.
| Candidate | Party | Response | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Aaronson | The Greens | YES | Also include “nozzle” so people without bottles can drink from them. |
| Mick Fell | Labor | YES | |
| Daniel Myles | Liberal | We support the introduction of water bubblers, subject to available funding |
- Support Council extending its existing environmental levy for another five years to support essential Council environmental programs.
| Candidate | Party | Response | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Aaronson | The Greens | YES | |
| Mick Fell | Labor | YES | YES Subject to budgetary constraints. |
| Daniel Myles | Liberal | YES |
- 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Aaronson | The Greens | YES | |
| Mick Fell | Labor | YES | |
| Daniel Myles | Liberal | We support sustainable practices |
3. Pollution and waste
- Support the introduction of a Green Bin for garden waste while retaining the chipping service.
| Candidate | Party | Response | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Aaronson | The Greens | YES | Also continue to encourage people to compost their garden wastes. |
| Mick Fell | Labor | YES | |
| Daniel Myles | 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. |
- Support the introduction of an annual e-waste collection.
| Candidate | Party | Response | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Aaronson | The Greens | YES | Local places to take e-waste would also help. |
| Mick Fell | Labor | YES | |
| Daniel Myles | 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").
- 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Aaronson | The Greens | YES | |
| Mick Fell | Labor | YES | |
| Daniel Myles | Liberal | YES |
- 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Aaronson | The Greens | YES | |
| Mick Fell | Labor | YES | |
| Daniel Myles | Liberal | We believe LEP 1991 should be updated so the environmental protection measures are consistent with LEP 2005. |
- 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Aaronson | The Greens | YES | |
| Mick Fell | Labor | YES | |
| Daniel Myles | Liberal | NO |
5. Public participation and accountability
- 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Aaronson | The Greens | YES | |
| Mick Fell | Labor | YES | |
| Daniel Myles | Liberal | YES |
