Michael Doyle - Candidate for Mulgrave 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.
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Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree
5
The community has a responsibility to ensure that Aging and Disabled residents can travel just as easily as any other person in Monash. For example, bus companies must be required to ensure that the floor level of their buses is low enough to enable anyone to get on without difficulty.
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.
Buses are the only means of transport for many people. A reliable and adequate timetable is essential.
2.to extend bus timetables so that they connect with train timetables, especially mornings and evenings.
This is essential.
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Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree
5
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
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Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree
4
There is though a cost involved. And the environmental impact needs to be considered.
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.
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Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree
5
There’s no point in sending out surveys once every 4 years (at election time). Residents concerns need to be heard more often and more regularly.
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.
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Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree
5
5% is barely noticeable. Developers are doing very nicely thank you – they can afford to give a bit more. In fact the value of their developments would increase if there was more “green space”.
Q2 Council should extend its current initiatives to help preserve sporting facilities by the provision of water tanks and drought resistant grasses.
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Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree
5
( A no-brainer)
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.
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Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree
4
Monash already has some good health support services … but some areas need improvement (those mentioned, for example, obesity, diabetes and depression). Even though Health is a State Govt responsibility , Council must make its voice heard. There is a danger in having politically partisan councillors because these can tend to kow-tow to the State Govt politicians of their Party (be it Labor or Liberal).
Q2 Research into Community Health – Council should collect data to measure the extent of the health problem within the Monash community.
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Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree
3
Collecting data seems to be done more and more. We have data coming out of ears. The important thing is using the information already available and addressing the obvious problems.
Q3 Council should negotiate with government to establish a centralised medical services facility, similar to Clayton’s, in Glen Waverley.
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Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree
3
We need facilities that meet the community’s needs. Monash does have good medical facilities, but that does not mean they cannot be improved.
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
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Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree
This comment is ambiguous. What is meant by Liveability Policy? But , yes, there needs to be clear objectives and measurable targets for all policies. And ‘liveability’ is obviously nice to have!
Q2 Council should always challenge major developments considered inappropriate by residents, even if it may mean being overridden by VCAT or other government bodies.
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Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree
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Absolutely, yes!
Q3 All large-scale developments should undergo a full and publicly available Environmental Impact Study before they can be submitted to Council for approval
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Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree
2
This sounds a good idea but all-encompassing policies such as this can be too restrictive.
Q4 Council should more actively oppose the government’s proposed Residential Zoning Scheme, which threatens to take away residents’ right to object to developments.
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Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree
5
The community must have the right to object. And to be effective.
Q4 Council should be a strong advocate for the community when dealing with government over how the city is to be developed.
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Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree
5
As I said, there is a danger in having politically partisan councillors because these can tend to kow-tow to the State Govt politicians of their Party (be it Labor or Liberal).
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.
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Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree
4
Q2 Council should undertake a needs survey in this area.
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Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree
3
Q3 Council should take on a stronger advocacy role with VicRoads and VicRail in order to meet community needs.
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Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree
5
Q4 Council should require all major developments to provide secure bicycle parking areas, especially those at transport hubs.
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Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree
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Yes. The cost is minimal. The benefits huge.
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.
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Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree
5
Yes!
Q2 Council should invite the Bus Association and VicRoads to cooperate in addressing the traffic grid lock problems.
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Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree
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YES!
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.
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Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree
4
Don’t like the word ‘forcing’, but agree with the focus.
Q4 Council should be pro-active in reducing ‘rat runs’ in local streets wherever residents ask them to do so.
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Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree
5
YES!
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.
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Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree
5
(in fact make that 6)
Q2 Council should negotiate with transport providers to ensure that all bus stops provide access for wheelchairs.
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Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree
5
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.
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Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree
2
(reluctant to sign up for anything that is all-encompassing and restrictive)
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.
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Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree
3
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.
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Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree
2
(the implications of this need legal consideration)
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?
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NO YES
yes
Q2 Are you prepared to work together with other councillors to achieve community goals, if necessary across coalitions within Council?
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NO YES
yes
Q3 Are you willing to debate all issues of concern to residents in open Council?
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NO YES
yes
