Broad-leaved Geebung (Persoonia levis)

We asked the 14 lead* candidates across the 4 wards 19 questions on key Blue Mountains environmental issues.

[* first candidate in group]

We also asked them what they intended to do for the environment if elected (statement of personal conservation values).

The questionnaire we sent can be found here.

Out of the 14 candidates, 9 responded to our questionnaire.

The responses have been compiled for each ward with a link to each candidate’s response.

The responses are not interpreted in these collations.

Ward 1  Ward 2   Ward 3   Ward 4

The combined details of all responses can be found here.

The Society would like to thank all the candidates who responded to the questionnaire.

Of the five candidates who did not respond, four were the lead Liberal candidates in each ward and one was an independent candidate. This was the lowest response rate for the local government election environment questionnaire since the Society commenced this important initiative. At the last local government election, 18 out of 19 candidates responded to the Society’s environment questionnaire, including lead candidates from all major parties.

It is especially disappointing that no Liberal candidate across the four wards responded to our questionnaire. This means that residents will have no information on these candidates’ views and positions on critical issues such as increased urban development, ensuring protection of the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area and climate change. The Society believes the local government election environment questionnaire assists in ensuring greater transparency and accountability, for both our elected Council and for residents, and we urge all candidates in the future to participate.

There was broad and widespread agreement amongst the candidates who responded to the questionnaire. Most candidates responded positively, indicating a very high level of support for environmental and sustainability outcomes. A summary of the candidates’ responses to the questions is outlined below.

As part of the questionnaire, we also asked candidates to provide a personal statement outlining what they will do for the environment if elected, including projects and issues they intend to work on - here's their combined Personal Conservation Values. The Society is particularly heartened by the responses of candidates to this section of the questionnaire, with candidates expressing strong commitments to environmental and related social justice actions.

As a city within an internationally recognised World Heritage Area, the Blue Mountains is uniquely placed to be at the forefront of actions at the local government level on critical environmental and sustainability issues, including climate change and the rights of nature. The Society sees the personal statements of candidates as especially important. We believe that with the right leadership and conviction, working in collaboration with the community including Traditional Owners, the Blue Mountains City Council can become a national leader in sustainability and environmental protection.

All candidates who responded to the questionnaire supported the following current Council policies:

• Stopping inappropriate development in the Blue Mountains by
  • opposing state government planning reforms which will further over-ride local controls and reduce residents’ ability to have a say on development (Q.6)
  • protecting the character of the Blue Mountains towns and stopping urban sprawl (Questions 7, 9 and 10)
• Opposing the ‘Wildlife Park’ (zoo) at Bodington Hill, Wentworth Falls (Q.11)
• Opposing raising the Warragamba Dam wall (Q.15)

All candidates who responded to the questionnaire also supported:

• Reinstating transparent reporting of Council’s yearly natural environmental budget (Q.1b)
• Advocating for the introduction of a new budget item within the Natural Area Visitor Facilities for maintenance of Council facilities (Q.1c)
• Including the Katoomba Airfield (Medlow Bath) in the National Park and retaining it for emergency services (Q.2)
• Promoting dual current and Aboriginal naming of Council managed iconic sites (in consultation with Aboriginal communities) (Q.3)
• Developing and resourcing a Council Land Encroachment Policy (Q.4)
• Council leading a strategy to increase affordable housing in the Blue Mountains, working with the not-for-profit sector and the NSW government (Q.8)
• Retaining the Katoomba Golf Course as a publicly owned community recreation area (Q.12)
• Protecting the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area by opposing development on the escarpment (Q.16)
• Further raising revenue from visitors and tourists through parking fees in tourism areas etc to minimise impacts on natural areas and maintain Council tourism infrastructure (Q.17)

There were differing views among the candidates on the following questions:

• Increasing the Council’s natural environmental budget to at least 5% of the Council’s budget in 21/22 (Q.1a). This was not supported by Chris Van der Kley – refer to his questionnaire response.
• Developing a policy of prohibiting gas appliances in all new residential developments in the Blue Mountains (Q.5). Most agreed with this initiative in principle but some questioned whether Council had the legal power to enforce this and wanted extensive community consultation.
• Opposing the Great Western Highway duplication (Q.13). Peter O’Toole did not support Council’s position on this – refer to his questionnaire response.
• Advocating for residents and the environment regarding flight paths and lack of a curfew for the Western Sydney Airport (Q.14). Peter O’Toole did not support Council’s position on this – refer to his questionnaire response.