By Ethan Benedicto
Dedicated to being the people’s voice, independent candidate Jane Foreman has announced her candidacy for the upcoming Casey Council elections this October.
Representing Casuarina Ward, Foreman has some key priorities that she is eager to touch on if elected, one of them being the revitalisation of the Webb Street shopping precinct.
However, it is how she aims to endeavour in this project that is key for her, with Foreman saying that she also aims to be not just a figure that the ward’s constituents can rely on, but a friend.
Regarding council matters, her first order of business is moving the meetings to “an appropriate time where people can attend”.
“I don’t believe in banning anyone from a council meeting, as long as the behaviour is correct, [we should be] allowing people to come.
“I think the questions need to be received and given, all of that transparency needs to come straight back,” she said.
Having been a councillor previously in Western Australia, Foreman is no stranger to positions of leadership, and with Webb Street as her focus, she is ready to be that voice for the people.
“One of my [initiatives] would be to really start working with the business owners, everyone who owns buildings in that area,” Foreman said.
“Let’s get together and see what we can do to come up with a plan to start revitalising that area and make it something special.
“That’s one thing I’m keen to facilitate and be a voice for all the businesses in the area.”
However, there are no certain promises per se., it’s simply listening, she said; from there, Foreman aims to be the medium that links the people with the right parties to “make things happen”.
Safety concerns at Webb Street are also another factor that she aims to address, from anti-social behaviour to vandalism, which she said would be dealt with through proper facilitation.
“I would establish a committee or a working group that you’d work hand-in-hand with local businesses, with the residents, with the city planners, all of that and begin developing a plan.,” Foreman said.
“Let’s get all the ideas on the table and let’s see what might work for them and from there proceed.
“I’m not a business owner, I’m not there all the time, I see myself as a voice – they might come up with a completely different idea and it won’t matter, I may not particularly agree with it but if that’s what they want, then it’s my job to promote that and support it with them.”
Delving into the mentioned anti-social behaviour, Foreman acknowledged that it’s a widespread issue, especially amongst the youth; and for her addressing it means taking on a holistic approach that targets the roots of their behaviours.
“We need to look at this holistically, why are these young people there, why are they doing these things?” she said.
“Let’s get some of these youth agencies that help these young ones and engage with them, let’s see if we can help them move along.”
Building on the ward’s and the local communities’ overall safety, Foreman had the same outlook – to be that figure to first reach out to the appropriate parties, to hold those meetings and build a resolution with everyone involved.
“When you’re in council you have to negotiate with other agencies, like the State Government, the police department, the Justice Department, all with seeing what’s going on with those that are causing this,” she said.
“Are they getting apprehended? Are the police able to do something with them, why or why not? Then we’ve got to lobby.
“It’s about collaborating and bringing everyone together, gathering a meeting, seeing what we can do, what’s on the table and you know, is this adequate? What else do we need?”
Considering that Casey has had no councillors for the last four years after the dismissal following the IBAC investigation, Foreman recognises the need for transparency and honesty when it comes to collaborating with one another and engaging with the city’s constituents.
With her previous experience as a councillor, one of the things she endeavoured on “was making sure we had a very diverse council”.
“Diverse views is one thing I feel strongly about, creating unity for the council, and that as councillors we are united.
“With that, I don’t mean that we might agree on everything, but I’m saying we don’t fight and not speak to one another; I want to bring a unified council, that we’re all there for the good of the community,” she said.
At a council level, Foreman is a staunch believer in keeping politics and its influences out of day-to-day operations, adding that councillors are there to “represent the people, not a political party”.
With the always-changing plane of political parties and ideologies, remaining neutral is key for an effective council moving forward, one that prioritises the needs of its constituents above all.
This priority, to Foreman, is done through personal connection with the people she is looking to represent; recognising the rampancy of technological communication, she is looking to bring it back to face-to-face conversations.
“It’s really about being in the community, it’s just something special about being with people you know?,” she said.
“Actually meeting them and being with them – and if I do get elected, I’ll be making sure I don’t just stay in my little house and sending out emails.
“I believe in grassroots engagement, in letting people know.”
Looking ahead, Foreman aims to provide strong governance and leadership, with the goals of making Casey a safe, vibrant and thriving city.
