Greens candidate Drummoyne
Alice Mantel
What will you contribute to the
community if elected?
I will stand up for the rights of residents to be heard against unfair planning decisions whether that is over-development of residential areas or the building of roads into their suburb with unfiltered vent stacks. I will lobby for better public transport, stand up for investment in public hospitals with proper staffing ratios, promote public secondary and tertiary education funding, act to retain funding across domestic violence and legal aid services, insist on transparency of donations to political parties, prevent the sale of public assets, protect public housing from being sold to developers and resist any change to weaken anti-discrimination legislation.
What is your position on WestConnex and does this align with party policy and community feedback?
The WestConnex project is an expensive, wasteful giveaway to the roads lobby. Using that money for public transport would make a huge difference. Community groups have consistently opposed the proposed WestConnex tollway as have Greens Members of Parliament who have demanded disclosure of secret government documents and evidence of a properly costed business case. Every new infrastructure proposal needs to include integrated transport – rail, light rail,
bus and cycleways.
How will you implement one of your key platforms of opposing privatisation of educational institutes?
Funding of TAFE courses will be reinstated and the misnamed “Smart & Skilled” program (ie. a giveaway to private education providers) will be wound back. Jobs for TAFE teachers will be given priority rather than funding private providers driven by profit. TAFE programs to support education for the disabled will be protected and reinstated.
What are goals for public transport?
There is a crisis in public transport and neither major party has a serious response. Sydney needs an integrated public transport system across the whole. It is a hallmark of a modern city to have an efficient sustainable transport system and that must be our goal.
What will you wear on election day?
Something green of course!
What will you be doing the night before election day?
Organising drinks and supplies for our volunteers.
To get in touch:
alice.mantel@canadabaygreens.org
or 9702 5761
Liberal member DRUMMOYNE
JOHN SIDOTI
What will you contribute to the
community if elected?
As a lifelong resident of the Drummoyne electorate if elected I will continue to deliver in the areas of, health, education, transport, law and order.
What is your position on WestConnex and does this align with party policy and community feedback?
WestConnex is the lifeline for the Inner West and will alleviate congestion and rat running through our local streets. If Labor is elected the community will be subjected to another 20 years of traffic congestion. WestConnex will also provide a designated bus lane to the city which will improve travel time for commuters.
Since you were elected as the member for Drummoyne in 2011 you brought new dialysis upgrades to Concord hospital, do you have any other upcoming campaigns for improving health facilities for Inner Westies?
Since my election in 2011 I have delivered a new satellite dialysis unit at Concord Hospital as well as a $3,000,000 upgrade to Yaralla House, $500,000 for the Concord foreshore walk, $52,000 for Passenger transport for Concord Hospital. With being the best performing Health District in the State of NSW I will be fighting for a major upgrade for Concord Hospital.
Have there been any developments on the planning you have done for the four new schools in the Inner West?
With a commitment to education in my electorate every school has been the beneficiary of grants over the last four years. With the completion of the $35,000,000 Victoria Avenue Public School we now look forward to the opening of Wentworth Point Public schoolin 2017 as well as schools at Mortlake and North Strathfield. By far the most important announcement is a $15,000,000 knock down rebuild state of the art special needs school of Lucas Gardens School in Canada Bay.
What will you wear on election day?
I will be wearing a John Sidoti T-Shirt and Cap
What will you eat for breakfast on election day?
Fresh fruit
What will you be doing the night before election day?
The night before election day I will be campaigning!
To get in contact, ph: 9713 2999 or drummoyne@parliament.nsw.gov.au
Labor candidate Balmain
Verity Firth
What will you contribute to the
community if elected?
We need to increase green space and protect our precious harbour foreshore, making sure our schools keep up with increasing demand and integrated public transport.
What is your position on WestConnex and does this align with party policy and
community feedback?
Labor has made the decision to not proceed with the tunnel that will run under the Inner West between Haberfield and St Peters. We’ll also abolish the St Peters Interchange and stop all property acquisitions connected to the project. All parklands and green spaces currently under threat will be protected and we’ll ensure proper consultation and the publication of all planning documents before any approvals go ahead.
Should you be elected, how would you improve childcare availability in the Inner West?
I support Leichhardt Council’s efforts to increase childcare provider’s provisions for local families. Out of Hours School Care (OHSC) is also desperately needed in our area. I support OSHC services having priority use of school facilities for before school care, after school care and vacation care. I also want to see childcare and OHSC facilities included in the planning and design of all new primary schools and in all planned extensions to existing schools.
What are your plans for creating a high quality integrated public transport system in
the Inner West?
I am keen to see further expansion of light rail in our local area and support a feasibility study into the expansion of light rail along the White Bay corridor into Balmain. We also need additional ferry services for the Balmain peninsula and I support the re-opening of the Balmain West Ferry Wharf. I would also like to see an additional ferry
wharf at White Bay.
What will you eat for breakfast
on election day?
I’ll be having as big a breakfast as I can to keep me going for what will be a very long but exciting day.
What will you be doing the night
before election day?
I’ll do my best to get as much sleep as possible, but I have to admit I always get a bit nervous the night before so I’m not sure if that will go to plan!
To get in touch samantha.wills@hotmail.com.au 0437 140 029
Liberal candidate Summer Hill
Julie Passas
What will you contribute to the
community if elected?
My whole-self, as I have done for the past 20 years. I will be a strong voice for Summer Hill within the Mike Baird Liberal Team. I will work hard to ensure that essential services such as health, education and transport are delivered to Summer Hill.
What is your position on WestConnex and does this align with party policy and community feedback?
Sydney’s motorway network should have been completed a decade ago – WestConnex is the most vital of the missing links in the network.
WestConnex is a game-changer for Sydney – it will save the 100,000 motorists who rely on the M5 corridor each day by making travel between Sydney’s west and east easier.
How do you plan to collect funding for transport and how will this funding
be distributed?
The NSW Government has committed $1.8 billion towards WestConnex from Restart NSW – the State’s infrastructure fund. The Abbott Government is providing $1.5 billion in funding to Stage One, in addition to a $2 billion concessional loan for Stage Two. Tolling will be required to fund the bulk of this critical missing link in Sydney’s road network. It will be a distance-based tolling system similar to that which exists on the M7.
Does living in Summer Hill all your life – make you the right candidate?
Absolutely. I have lived in the electorate my entire life, and I have served as a local Councillor for over a decade. This means that I have a firsthand understanding of the challenges the people of Summer
Hill face.
What will you eat for breakfast on Election Day?
No time for breakfast, I’ll be out the door nice and early.
What will you be doing the night
before Election Day?
I will try and get a good night sleep and making up the food packs for the volunteers and booth workers.
n To get in touch
alicia.mccumstie@nsw.liberal.org.au
or 8356 0300
