By Cam Lucadou-Wells
SPRINGFIELD WARD
Voters in Narre Warren and Narre Warren South should have received ballot papers for Springfield Ward in the 2016 Casey Council elections.
Only five of the 15 candidates were organised, diligent and committed enough to respond to Star News’s survey, most within a 24-hour deadline. Five candidates, who didn’t supply email contact details to the Victorian Electoral Commission, weren’t contacted.
Take a read and see which candidate will stand up for you.
Who do you trust to deliver your sports grounds, pools, libraries, garbage services, local roads and affordable rates?
Survey respondents: Garry Page, Sam Aziz, Rex Flannery, Kasuni Mendis, Paul Richardson
No reply: Faisal Najibi, Sukhminder Grewal, Rhonda Mavroudis, Kayla Harriss, Cassandra Geyde, Waleed Hassan, Anthony Bargashoun, Rory McCormack, Louise Berkelmans, Stephen Alter
GARRY PAGE
What ward/municipality do you live in: My back fence is the Springfield/River Gum boundary
Political party membership: None
Place of Worship: Not Applicable
Campaign sponsors and donors: None
Campaign cost/budget: Been printing my leaflets on secondhand, laser printers at home then hand delivering the leaflets. So far the greatest expense of leafleting is the cost of the shoes. So you could say I’m running the campaign on a shoe string.
Top three projects you’ll achieve on council:
1. Good governance – Reform use of closed council, broadcast council meetings, observe Local Government Act, reform public question time, reform ward grants, real community engagement in capital works planning.
2. Budget management – Set rate increases below inflation then budget to that target, not create a wish list with increased rates to fund, include financially poor clubs in capital works budget process, real community engagement with budget planning.
3. Close Narre Warren North Power Station at Quarry Road. If someone living within 300m gets cancer and a good lawyer it could snowball into an expensive public relations disaster.
Three ways to make council budget savings:
1.Capital works spending has to be brought under control. Observe programmed priority.
2. Reduce loan repayments by paying back the debts current councillors have approved.
3. Reduce over-regulation e.g. allow residents to store their caravan, motor home and trailer (car, horse, boat, etc,) at home without an annual permit. Enable residents to fund periodicals in the libraries.
Your view on half-mast Casey flag: For Cr Aziz to use this tradition for political games is shameful and a disgrace. Current Casey councillors don’t seem to be capable of restraining Cr Aziz.
Law-and-order solutions: Council officers should be assigned to improve community safety through expanding Neighbourhood Watch schemes and improve community engagement. Stop playing political games with the issue to ensure community good will is not wasted on political stunts.
SAM AZIZ
(preferences Berkelmans)
What ward/municipality do you live in: 21 metres from Springfield Ward as a result of boundary re-distribution.
Political party membership: None
Place of Worship: Christian
Campaign sponsors and donors: Self funded
Campaign cost/budget: Not yet known.
Top three projects you’ll achieve on council:
1. Roads: Upgrading Narre Warren Station to a premium station, unclogging Webb Street, and resolving O’Shea Road and Clyde Road congestion by lobbying for a further $1 billion funding by the State and Federal governments.
2. Jobs: attracting significant investment to create jobs, including concluding negotiations with defence, IT, retail and manufacturing industries.
3. Safety: Lobbying for more police and stronger laws to protect the community.
Three ways to make council budget savings:
1. Continuing with the effectiveness and efficiency program already delivering $11 million in savings.
2. Continuing with our digital strategy which will not only make savings but make it easier for residents to access council services.
3. Increasing innovation in purchasing and tendering, such as the recent initiative to give clubs and sporting organisations opportunity to tender for work on their own pavilions.
Your view on half-mast Casey flag: Symbolic gesture to demonstrate that our community is under threat from rising crime.
Law-and-order solutions: As outlined in the motion that I moved: more police, tougher sentences, joint State/Federal taskforce, deportation for dual citizens who commit offences punishable by jail in a gang formation and empowering the community to be vigilant about personal security.
REX FLANNERY
(preferences Richardson)
What ward/municipality do you live in: –
Political Party: not affiliated with any.
Place of worship: N/A
Campaign donors: Self funded.
Campaign costs : Half of what Mr Richardson pays.
Top three projects: Reducing costs, working within a budget, bringing the community together as one.
Three ways to to make budget savings: Supply materials to sporting groups to let the clubs work on their own projects – which would cut out contractors at higher costs. Reduce overseas travel if not needed (teleconferencing). Prioritise capital work projects.
Your view on half-mast Casey flag: When a Head of State dies or a community member who has put in outstanding service not a problem.
Law and order solutions: Courts are too soft, make all judges do a night shift with the police.
KASUNI MENDIS
(preferences Flannery)
What ward/municipality do you live in: Springfield
Political party membership: No
Place of Worship: Sakyamuni Sambuddha Buddhist Temple, Berwick
Campaign sponsors and donors: Friends, family and self-funded.
Campaign cost/budget: $2000
Top three projects you’ll achieve on council:
1. Adequate maintenance of footpaths, roads and parks in a timelier manner.
2. More youth participation in our community and reaching out to disengaged members of our society, to stop them from committing violent crimes.
3. Address domestic violence and elder abuse at a local level.
Three ways to make council budget savings:
1. Reducing councillor allowances – over $400,000 in 2014-15.
2. Not demolishing a perfectly usable building to make way for new council offices masked under a performing arts venue, but that deal is too far gone to stop.
3. Make sure that council funds are spent on things that maximise utility for all members of our community, such as basic infrastructure.
Your view on half-mast Casey flag: A pointless gesture that is nothing but grandstanding. It is all well and good for the council to all of a sudden lobby for more police and tighter laws come election time. They have no one else but themselves to blame for the escalation of crime in the City of Casey.
Law-and-order solutions: For every criminal we put away there will be another to take its place if we don’t stop these disengaged members of our society from resorting to anti-social behaviour. We must engage with such people and provide them with programs and support, which they are sorely lacking and stop them from committing crimes.
PAUL RICHARDSON
(preferences Flannery)
What ward/municipality do you live in: Four Oaks
Political party membership: Independent
Place of Worship: Catholic, Holy Family Church in Doveton
Campaign sponsors and donors: No donations
Campaign cost/budget: Minimal
Top three projects you’ll achieve on council: Capping of council rates; exposure of concealed council costs i.e. VCAT, legal/consultancy; and residents allowed asking questions at council meetings.
Three ways to make council budget savings: Reduce administrative costs, management/councillor allowances, salaries and perks and removal of overseas travel
Your view on half-mast Casey flag: Inappropriate representing the crime rate in Casey.
Law-and-order solutions: –
[ More Casey Council Ward candidates here… ]
