2017-09-02
Hon Diane Evers MLC
Do you know that the Donnybrook-Balingup Shire provides a fortnightly green-waste compost bin for its residents with free bench-top compost bin and biodegradable bin bags? Do you know that the Shire of Margaret River-Augusta is reviewing a strategy for homelessness? Did you know that Bridgetown and Denmark have gone plastic-bag free? With local council elections fast approaching, getting involved in local politics is a great way to influence greener, more sustainable outcomes in our beautiful Southwest.
Standing up and speaking out in a small town is a daunting idea at first. Our rural communities are strongly interwoven; the checkout person at the grocery store is also in your sports club, the local café owner might be your landlord or neighbour; you live amongst your childrens teachers, the local hospital staff and the farmers who grow your food. This visibility can act as a deterrent to speaking out about matters in your community or it can be the strong motivator to stand up and represent a voice that needs to be heard; to actively participate in safe guarding the future that you believe in.
When I ran for local council in Albany it was concerns about road maintenance and financial management during the merger of Shire and Town Councils that pushed me to step forward.
At the time, the Town had debts and whilst maintaining a pretty appearance had little else to show for it. Meanwhile the Shire had cash reserves but the roads were in terrible condition. As a long term resident in the Shire with an accountancy background I felt this was an issue I was keen to get right! Once elected, the first thing I did was get the council to agree to fix the roads and limit our ability to borrow for the less important things. During my time in Council I was able to push for more sustainable strategies in planning and local projects. One of my most memorable moments was getting through an amendment to increase the local library development from one story to two.
The Greens believe that all citizens have a fundamental right and responsibility to be involved in the economic and political decisions that affect their lives and which impact on the community and the environment. Did you know that the Greens can help you run for local council? Running in your local election with Greens backing allows you to access a wealth of support, policy guidance, financial assistance and resources.
In the next few months, whether you are running for council or not, now is the time to speak up in your community about the issues that matter to you. From sustainable waste management that includes better composting and green waste options, town planning that takes into account the environment and green scape, population growth strategies that take into account the needs of young people, supporting eco-tourism initiatives that value the local natural resources, to bike paths and better walk trails the list is endless.
Photo: Albany Town Hall. Credit: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Albany_Town_Hall_2.jpg
