NAME AND WARD OF CANDIDATE FOR COUNCIL…..Stefanie Perri Oakleigh Ward….
Public Transport – meeting our public transport challenges
Q1 Council Community Buses: with the number of Aging and Disabled residents within the City of Monash Council should upgrade and extend its fleet of buses.
0____________1____________2____________3____________4____________5
Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree
In addition to the need to upgrade and extend council’s fleet of buses, we also need to make sure that the services provided match what the community needs. Appropriate funding is critical, but is not a complete solution on its own – careful examination of service provision is also critical. I’d like to see Council engaging the community and determining the very best way to operate the community bus program so that it meets the community’s needs. I’m also aware that many local residents are unaware of available services so I’d like the council to do more to make older residents and residents with a disability more aware of available services.
Q2 Commercial buses: Council should work with commercial bus-lines
1 to provide community bus-routes catering directly to the needs of less mobile residents, and to ensure that these and other special needs buses are fully timetabled.
2.to extend bus timetables so that they connect with train timetables, especially mornings and evenings.
0____________1____________2____________3____________4____________5
Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree
Commercial bus lines do seek input from local government on these matters but the quality of that input is only as good as the council’s grasp of what local residents want. That’s why, as per my response to question 1, I’d like to see Council engage the community so it listens to what the community needs and is able to feed that back through to commercial bus lines and work cooperatively to ensure services are responsive to the needs of our community.
Q3 Rowville Rail Link – Council should work actively with other councils to lobby for a full-scale rail link between Huntingdale Railway Station and Ferntree Gully Station
0____________1____________2____________3____________4____________5
Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree
At this stage I am uncertain as to whether lobbying for a full-scale rail link between Huntingdale Railway Station and Ferntree Gully Station is one of the key actions that local residents in the Oakleigh Ward expect of their elected representatives in local government. I am very clear that local residents want their councillors to listen to them, act on fresh ideas, manage sporting and community groups better, protect our environment and neighbourhood character and work cooperatively across all levels of government to achieve the best outcomes for our community. If elected, I will consult extensively with our community and after careful consideration of everyone’s views, I will determine whether lobbying for this project is one of the best ways in which I can serve the community.
Q4 Advocacy Role – as a councillor I will work to ensure that the Council runs a regular community forum on public transport needs, and I will lobby for better public transport across the City of Monash on behalf of the residents.
0____________1____________2____________3____________4____________5
Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree
I’d like to see Council hold regular community forums on public transport in conjunction with the State Government. The critical issue of public transport cannot be solved by one level of government alone – it requires a cooperative approach across both levels of government if we are to achieve meaningful outcomes. Public transport forums have been attempted in the past by state government departments, in consultation with local government. None however have been held in the Oakleigh Ward, and with the major transport hub at Oakleigh Station and major bus interchanges at the Clayton Shopping Centre and Monash University, it seems logical to me that the Oakleigh Ward would be an appropriate location for a well planned, well advertised forum arranged cooperatively by Monash Council and State Government in consultation with the community.
Open Space – defending the remaining green spaces for community use.
Q1 Council should require developers in the area to provide “green space” for community use beyond the minimum 5% currently required.
0____________1____________2____________3____________4____________5
Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree
I believe that green space for community use is absolutely essential. While unequivocally always putting residents before developers, there is a need to balance the need for open space with the need to encourage appropriate and affordable housing. It is too simplistic to tackle the very real need for open spaces in our community by enforcing a formula. Council needs to ensure that planning policies match community expectations and this includes the protection of our environment and neighbourhood character and the preservation and enhancement of our open spaces, reserves and waterways. Our community must be given the opportunity to have a say in how our area will develop into the future.
Q2 Council should extend its current initiatives to help preserve sporting facilities by the provision of water tanks and drought resistant grasses.
0____________1____________2____________3____________4____________5
Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree
There is so much more that Council could be doing to help preserve our sporting facilities. The provision of water tanks and drought resistant grasses are two of many options. The changes in our climate mean that we need to change the way in which we maintain sporting facilities. Another one of many options that I would like to see council consider is the use of synthetic grasses for some of our sporting fields, as has been done with much success overseas. As well as managing sporting facilities better, I’d also like to see council more actively support our valuable volunteers who work tirelessly in our sporting and community groups and the establishment of more friendly and cooperative working relationships between community and sporting groups and Council’s relevant departments, as what has sometimes been experienced in the past.
Health – defending the City of Monash against the chronic health issues facing communities in Victoria, such as obesity, diabetes and depression.
Q1 Community Health – Council should play a more active advocacy role in pressuring government to provide a range of health support services.
0____________1____________2____________3____________4____________5
Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree
There is most certainly a very important role for Council to play in planning for a range of health support services in cooperation with other levels of government. The wording of this question however is problematic because it limits Council to two roles, that of advocacy and that of pressuring government. This is precisely the way Council has operated to date and I believe a fresh and better approach is essential. Council can do more than advocate and apply pressure – in fact, I believe that if it is to make any real progress, it must do more than this. Council must stop seeing itself as the child who needs to stamp its feet to receive things from the bigger levels of government. Instead, there must be an acknowledgement that at the heart of the current local, state and federal governments there is a fundamental desire to serve the community. We will not always agree as to how this can be best achieved, but if we work hard and cooperatively together with a common aim of achieving positive outcomes for the community, we are much more likely to achieve the end results that will make a real difference in the lives of local residents.
Q2 Research into Community Health – Council should collect data to measure the extent of the health problem within the Monash community.
0____________1____________2____________3____________4____________5
Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree
As local government is the level of government closest to the people, council finds itself in an ideal position to collect certain data about health problems in our community. Similarly, the State and Federal Governments collect other data based on the services they respectively provide. So in addition to the collection of data that is appropriate for Council to collect, I’d also like to see the compilation of data across local, state and federal government that is relevant to residents in Monash so that a more accurate and detailed picture of the extend of heath problems within the Monash community can be seen.
Q3 Council should negotiate with government to establish a centralised medical services facility, similar to Clayton’s, in Glen Waverley.
0____________1____________2____________3____________4____________5
Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree
I am aware of current plans to provide centralised medical service facilities in both Oakleigh and Glen Waverley. I am a candidate for the Oakleigh Ward, which is the same ward I have lived in my whole life and it is the part of Monash I am most concerned about. Therefore, I am very pleased about the centralised medical services in Clayton and, if elected, I will work hard and cooperatively with the State Government to ensure that the new service that will be provided in Oakleigh is one that serves the needs of our community. Facilities in Glen Waverley are not my primary focus.
Planning Issues – defending residential amenity against government planners and tribunals.
Q1 The City of Monash should follow other municipalities by shaping its planning around a Liveability Policy with clear objectives and measurable targets
0____________1____________2____________3____________4____________5
Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree
In speaking with local residents, planning issues are always discussed in the context of those issues that are most important to our community. There is a great deal of frustration in our community about council’s ambiguous planning policies and the council needs to do much more listening to local residents so that planning policies match community expectations. Genuine, inclusive and thorough community consultation that then creates better policy, clear objectives and measurable targets is one key way in which council can begin to address this important issue of liveability in our community.
Q2 Council should always challenge major developments considered inappropriate by residents, even if it may mean being overridden by VCAT or other government bodies.
0____________1____________2____________3____________4____________5
Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree
I believe that at all times local residents and the needs of our community, must always come before developers. However, Council must also step up and be far more pro-active on all planning matters. More often than not, VCAT will respect and uphold existing and sensible planning policies set by Council. Council currently has the ability to exercise much more power in local planning matters. For example, Council can and should consult with the community and determine the community’s expectations and place heritage overlays and neighbourhood character overlays on certain areas defined through thorough consultation with the community. When council overlays exist, VCAT will, in the vast majority of cases, uphold them. Problems arise when council doesn’t bother to proactively develop appropriate planning overlays in consultation with the community and instead relies on fighting developments on a case by case situation. This is costly to the ratepayer and creates an enormous amount of unnecessary community angst and leads to inappropriate development. If elected, I will work to ensure that council consults with the community and then utilises all the powers available to it by very clearly defining how the community expects our area to develop into the future through the development of fully thought out planning policies.
Q3 All large-scale developments should undergo a full and publicly available Environmental Impact Study before they can be submitted to Council for approval
0____________1____________2____________3____________4____________5
Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree
Q4 Council should more actively oppose the government’s proposed Residential Zoning Scheme, which threatens to take away residents’ right to object to developments.
0____________1____________2____________3____________4____________5
Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree
As per my response to question 2 of this section, I believe that council can and must do more to fully utilise the powers currently available to them in local planning matters. Due to council’s inaction, many of the powers in local planning currently available to council lay dormant. At the same time, I am concerned about elements of the proposed Residential Zoning Scheme, and if elected, I will work hard and cooperatively to ensure my concerns, and those shared by our community, are addressed and achieve a more positive outcome for our community.
Q5 Council should be a strong advocate for the community when dealing with government over how the city is to be developed.
0____________1____________2____________3____________4____________5
Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree
For this question I have taken ‘the city’ to mean ‘the City of Monash’, rather than Melbourne City and assuming that this is the intention of the question, I’d have to highlight again that in my view the role of council in this and similar matters is far more extensive than that of advocacy. Certainly, advocating strongly on the development of our community is one of many critical roles of Council, however in my view, Council is more than an advocate, when it works cooperatively across all levels of government, it has the potential to be a very active partner with other levels of government and can make a very real and significant contribution to how our community develops into the future.
Bike and Walking Paths – supporting residents’ health and helping save the environment.
Q1 Council should establish a key department to address the issues of transport, bike and walking facilities, and the necessary links between them.
0____________1____________2____________3____________4____________5
Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree
I agree that there is a need to coordinate issues of transport, bike and walking facilities in Monash. There is huge potential to link facilities more effectively, particularly in some areas such as the Scotchman’s Creek, Brickmakers Park and the Oakleigh Recreation Centre precinct. For health and social reasons we must provide more opportunities for our community to be more physically active and for environmental reasons we must provide real alternatives to vehicular travel, for those who make that choice. The coordination of transport, bike and walking facilities does this, but I am undecided as to whether creating an entirely new department within Monash is the most effective and efficient way to do this. If elected, I will endeavour to find out more about the different ways in which transport, bike and walking facilities could be linked, and I will encourage and welcome the opinions of our community on this matter.
Q2 Council should undertake a needs survey in this area.
0____________1____________2____________3____________4____________5
Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree
Council needs to do more to listen to our community and understand the many and varied needs in our community. A survey, is one important component of what should be a much broader needs analysis of our area. Too often community consultation in Monash is regarded as a quick check box that needs to appear to have occurred. I want to see genuine and extensive community consultation that is inclusive of as many people in our community as possible. Only then will we ever get a true indication of all the needs in our area. Our community’s diversity is one of our biggest strengths, and we need to encourage the entire community to have their voices heard. A survey will work for some, but not all. Council needs to use a range of innovative and fresh approaches to keep an open two-way dialogue with the community so that it is aware of the needs of the entire community and can operate in the interests of the entire community to create a stronger, more connected and happier community.
Q3 Council should take on a stronger advocacy role with VicRoads and VicRail in order to meet community needs.
0____________1____________2____________3____________4____________5
Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree
Again, as I’ve indicated in previous responses, I believe it is too limiting to define Council’s role solely as that of advocacy. While I acknowledge council has an important role to place in being a strong advocate with VicRoads and VicRail to meet community needs, I’d like to see Council move from its mindset of being solely an advocate, to being an active, productive and equal partner in the development of key services that should meet our community’s needs, including those services provided by VicRoads and VicRail. If elected, this is one of the key changes that I would seek to bring in how council manages its relationships with departments and other levels of government. I will work to get results by working cooperatively across all levels of government, and their departments, to achieve the best possible outcomes for our community.
Q4 Council should require all major developments to provide secure bicycle parking areas, especially those at transport hubs.
0____________1____________2____________3____________4____________5
Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree
Traffic Management – regulating traffic on Monash’s roads
Q1 Council should press for better planning by VicRoads to alleviate the ‘grid lock’ on the major roads in Monash.
0____________1____________2____________3____________4____________5
Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree
Again, I see Council’s role to be more than that of an advocate to VicRoads. In fact, while there are very clear distinctions between roads that are managed by VicRoads and those that are managed by Council, in practice local and state roads impact on each other and council and VicRoads need to work together cooperatively as equal partners to find real solutions to the problem of congestion on both local and state managed roads in our community. The issue of congestion on our roads is neither that of VicRoads alone, nor is it that of Council’s. A coordinated, cooperative and fresh approach is required and if elected, I will work to facilitate this new and more productive approach.
Q2 Council should invite the Bus Association and VicRoads to cooperate in addressing the traffic grid lock problems.
0____________1____________2____________3____________4____________5
Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree
Absolutely – as many key stakeholders as possible should be included to address the traffic grid lock problems. Council needs to be far more inclusive in finding solutions to community issues – and I’d like to see a range of stakeholders and local residents involved in working collaboratively towards a solution, if they feel they would like to contribute.
Q3 Council should ask VicRoads should be more pro-active in forcing cars and trucks to use the East Link freeway as a means of reducing traffic volumes on Springvale and Blackburn Roads.
0____________1____________2____________3____________4____________5
Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree
Q4 Council should be pro-active in reducing ‘rat runs’ in local streets wherever residents ask them to do so.
0____________1____________2____________3____________4____________5
Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree
There is much room for council to be more proactive generally, including in traffic management issues of which ‘rat runs’ are part of.
Access for Disabled – addressing the needs of residents with disabilities.
Q1 Council should insist that a clear line of sight be maintained along the property line on footpaths for those residents with sight disabilities and wheel chair requirements.
0____________1____________2____________3____________4____________5
Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree
Q2 Council should negotiate with transport providers to ensure that all bus stops provide access for wheelchairs.
0____________1____________2____________3____________4____________5
Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree
Q3 Council should join other shire and city councils in signing up to support the Victorian Universal Housing Alliance’s platform for universally accessible and liveable housing in Victoria.
0____________1____________2____________3____________4____________5
Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree
In all honesty, I am unfamiliar with the Victorian Universal Housing Alliance’s platform for universally accessible and liveable housing in Victoria. However, I would support any platform that uses appropriate and sensible measures to make housing – and all facilities for that matter – more accessible for everyone, including people with a disability.
Support for Neighbourhood Houses and Community Associations
Q1 Monash City Council should follow the lead of other Victorian shire and metropolitan councils in providing recurrent operational funding for Neighbourhood Houses and Community Learning Centres within its boundaries.
0____________1____________2____________3____________4____________5
Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree
Neighbourhood Houses and Community Associations provide so much value to our community. They are vibrant places that foster community strength and pride. Filled with amazing volunteers and staff who keep them going, Neighbourhood Houses and Community Associations deserve the support of all levels of government. While I don’t agree that the funding of Neighbourhood Houses and Community Associations should rest solely with Council, as this burden may be too much for ratepayers to carry, I believe that Neighbourhood Houses and Community Associations should have security of funding. Security of funding would enable the people who run these terrific facilities to get on with the wonderful community work that they do, rather than operating under the cloud of funding shortages. I believe there is a role for each level of government to play in contributing to the funding of Neighbourhood Houses and Community Associations and I will work cooperatively across all levels of government to work towards providing Neighbourhood Houses and Community Associations with security of funding.
Q2 Council should follow the lead of other Victorian shire and metropolitan councils in allowing the operations of Community Associations and other non-profit volunteer associations to be covered by council insurance.
0____________1____________2____________3____________4____________5
Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree
Responsibilities of Councillors – matters that all prospective councillors should consider
Q1 Are you willing to attend all meetings called by Council, except when prevented from doing so by personal or family emergency?
____________________________________________________________
NO YES
Absolutely – I consider that councillors are in a very privileged position, having been entrusted by the community to represent them and if elected, I will take that responsibility very seriously. I don’t see the time involved in being a councillor as limited to attending council meetings; I believe that councillors also need to ensure that they can be easily contacted by local residents. That’s why I’ll hold regular local area meetings and ensure I am always contactable, to ensure the voices of our community are heard by Monash Council. I’ll also make time to respond to queries and while I believe that I have a good understanding of our community’s needs, I also know that there will be some areas in which I will need to learn more about and I will take the time to do that.
Q2 Are you prepared to work together with other councillors to achieve community goals, if necessary across coalitions within Council?
____________________________________________________________
NO YES
Absolutely – I will always make our community’s needs my first priority and I understand that to achieve positive outcomes for the benefit of our community, it is necessary to work with all councillors, all levels of government, and all sectors of our diverse community. I know that when you work within and across a wide selection of people, as is necessary in the role of a councillor, there are going to be times when you need to work cooperatively with people whose values and opinions may be different from your own. I believe most people’s hearts are in the right place and everyone has something special to offer. Our diversity is one of the great strengths of our community and the need for everyone to be heard is universal and in my opinion, it is the backbone of our democratic system.
Q3 Are you willing to debate all issues of concern to residents in open Council?
____________________________________________________________
NO YES
Absolutely – if the issue is important to local residents then it warrants open and appropriate debate. I believe that it is the free and respectful exchange of ideas that leads to positive solutions to community issues.
Questionnaire prepared by: John Shrives, 29 Collegium Ave, Wheelers Hill and Marian Quartly, 17 Longbourne Avenue, Notting Hill for the Monash Liveability Coalition
