Akasia SO
West Ward
Q1. What are your top priorities if elected to the City of Bayswater council?
The City of Bayswater is growing – we need safe, sustainable and strategic policy and projects to improve liveability, maintain value and grow and prosper for everyone.
My priorities include:
Supporting economic development and local tourism. Providing incentives to crowd-in private investment and holding events that grow demand and promote local small businesses offering food, accommodation and services. Incentives (including in-kind) should also work to encourage and promote local City of Bayswater self-employed, micro-businesses and start-ups.
Maximising green and recreational spaces with more trees (canopies, and gardens), more shaded playgrounds and picnic areas, more water bottle refilling stations on main walking and cycle paths and so families and friends can connect and enjoy the day during summer. It is especially vital to target existing neighbourhood spaces close to high-density housing and complexes. Increasing the tree canopy target from 20% to 30% by 2030 should underpin this priority.
Easing traffic congestion around high demand town centres and problematic car parks, which frustrate, endanger, and delay local residents and shoppers. Council to work with private carparks to promote safe traffic flows (Coles Maylands car park, Coventry Village for example).
Championing an open and transparent Council on expenditure and receipts with a view to finding cost-savings opportunities that could be returned back to ratepayers to ease cost-living and as part of any budget discipline grow other sustainable revenue streams, better communication and engagement processes and feedback loops (tree removal for example, more engaging town hall meetings), monitoring and evaluation of policies and projects since 2020 as part of standard good governance and practice – the Council's 2021 Emission Reduction and Renewable Energy Plan should be reviewed as an immediate action.
Q2. What will you do to enable more walking and cycling in the City of Bayswater?
Needs for cycling and walking are very different, and the city needs to take into account all users.
Those walking and cycling for commuting to work need safe, direct routes to their destination, with as few interruptions and road crossings as possible.
Those wishing to cycle to the shops need secure places to store their bikes, e-bikes and scooters at destinations, preferably camera-monitored in a manner that prevents opportunistic theft without compromising the public's broader right to privacy. While these are present in locations such as train stations, there is a lack of similar options in shopping and dining centres.
Increasing secure bike storage in key high-traffic areas will encourage cycling by giving people the option of actually storing their bike in public without fear of it being stolen. Coupled with physically separated cycling infrastructure, illuminated lines, signage indicating a shared zone and where appropriate enforcing 40 limit speed signs would enable more cycling.
For walkers, a more ambitious tree canopy agenda and water refilling stations at a town centre would make the journey more appealing and comfortable especially in summer. Council should work with local community leaders, parents and schools to promote the benefits of walking or cycling as building good habits for health and the climate. Linking the activities such as a breakfast club or similar or a City-wide challenge may be a good way to promote healthy behaviours.
Q3. What will you do to increase the City of Bayswater's tree canopy?
Advocate for a more ambitious target of 30% by 2030, and in doing so, Council to factor in climate and water security risk as part of tree selection. Community water tanks placed in strategic locations for tree watering should also be factored in.
Q4. What will you do to help our community reduce emissions and support a move to renewable energy?
As part of championing better policy and governance in Council, an immediate action should be to update and refresh the Council's 2021 Emission Reduction and Renewable Energy Plan – consistent with recent federal and state policies and in the context of the 2035 target setting.
I would like to see a plan for electric vehicle (EV) charging and for Council to work with the private sector to roll-out public EV charging networks including on Council owned land and parks where suitable. Public community events showcasing EVs have been vital to EV uptake and community acceptance – where all three levels of government and the private sector aligned there has been an acceleration of EV charging bays. An updated audit including on energy efficiency should be undertaken and where viable, replacing outdated technology and gas usage.
