Diane Fischer | 2023 Augusta Margaret River election
It’s time to cast your votes in the 2023 Local Government Elections, with ballots in the mail ahead of the final polling date of October 21.
We asked our readers to put forward their questions for our candidates on a range of issues affecting the region.
What do you see as a realistic future vision for the shire and the Capes region? What should we be aiming for, as a community facing inevitable growth?
I’d like to think that we can preserve as much of the quality of life here that we are currently able to enjoy. This might mean that we have a decision to make on limiting the development which occurs now, in the interests of doing just that.
Our time on this earth is limited, we have to act in the best interests of those who live here for the beauty of the place and not for those who come simply to make money out of its resources.
Youth services/facilities/opportunities – what’s right, and what’s not, in our region?
Our young people are a very precious resource and so far, we are not doing them the justice they deserve. We leave them alone to deal with the more difficult aspects of growing up, which they are, as young people, not really equipped to do. We need to be stewards for them, to provide them with the right boundaries and settings to grow into happy, healthy young adults.
This means they must have places they can go to hang out with each other, activities they can involve themselves in with good mentors to act as guides who will encourage and support them, and we must endow them with a sense that they are cared for and belong in the community and are as important to it as any other person.
How do we address the housing issue in our region? What involvement should local government have?
I think the Council is in a position to make a difference here. One instance of this could be to offer rate relief to homeowners to act as an incentive for them to lease their properties to longer term renters rather than to seek alternative options.
How should we be supporting local business, particularly small business and retail?
The Council needs to be more adaptive and flexible in its dealings with the business community, to always work with them rather than against them, where it’s possible. They often have good ideas which are sometimes denied because of too much red tape.
How do we balance environmental stewardship with positive economic growth and providing infrastructure/services?
Margaret River is big enough. We have grown so much over the last 5 years that it has come time for us to seriously consider how much further we want to expand. It just doesn’t seem necessary anymore.
This goes for other townships in the region too. We have limited resources. As a cohort of townships, we need to determine just how far we want to grow.
Do you think the general population of the shire have a clear understanding of what Council and the Shire does/is responsible for?
I think that when people go in the front door at the Shire with an idea or a suggestion, they have very little hope that they will see an outcome for it or that it will go any further than the front desk.
This should not be the case. The Council needs to be ready to take on the suggestions of the community, within limits of course, but always be ready to listen to good ideas which can be of benefit to everyone.
If you could clear up one misconception about local government, what would it be?
That you don’t have a right to have a say about what takes place in your community.
Three things the Shire of Augusta Margaret River, as an organisation, could be doing better or aiming to improve?
What do you think is the greatest challenge we face as a region?
Over population is causing too much damage to the environment. We need to make some decisions about what is most important to us here.
Do we live in a beautiful place of forests and oceans, or do we continue to hand our country over to developers to change? What is it that we want our future to be in this part of the world?
You have a weekend free to do whatever you please around the region. How and where would you spend your time?
I love the coastal paths. The walk between Riflebutts and Gnarabup along the beachfront must be one of the most beautiful I have ever seen.
Just like the first time I saw Wineglass Bay in Tasmania, where I lived for 18 years. I couldn’t believe how stunning it was. It’s similar with the place where the two oceans meet at Augusta.
Which bit of water is the Indian Ocean and which is the Southern, I always get a tickle out of that.
So, I enjoy walking, reading the papers, keeping up with current affairs, caring for my garden, hanging out with my mates at Qi Gong class and drinking coffee in the sun.
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