Michelle Buckmaster – Animal Justice Party
I’m an inner west local and I’m running as a candidate because I want to see animal protection, environmental and social justice issues tabled on the political agenda. Embracing the AJP’s core values of kindness, equality, rationality and non-violence, we can create a sustainable and healthy environment for future generations. I will advocate for a reform to the Tenancy Act to allow pets in rentals, a ban on single-use plastics, and scrutinisation of transport and development projects in the inner west that may have a detrimental impact on the environment and quality of living for residents, during and after construction.
Sydney is the city with the third most expensive housing market in the world. What housing policies does your party have to address the problems that face people who are not adequately catered for by the commercial market?
Everyone has the right to affordable housing. We need to adopt mechanisms to ensure that housing developments have a minimum target for social and affordable housing.
How should planning responsibilities be organised between The City of Sydney Council and state government, so that communities can have a great say in the development changes in their local area?
Local planning matters should ultimately be the responsibility of local councils, rather than state government. Public engagement throughout the stages of planning and development should be exercised by the planning authorities.
With redevelopment projects throughout the inner city, how will your party identify and fund infrastructure that needs to be provided to accommodate the increased population density?
Population growth is inevitable. We need to engage town planning experts to establish long term plans for schools, public transport, hospitals and recreational open spaces. We also need to consider any detrimental impact on the natural habitat in the local environment.
How will your party balance residential amenity and safety within recent proposals to develop Sydney’s night time economy?
The AJP will support Sydney’s night time economy by keeping Sydney open. Further research and input from experts is required to approach this in a way that keeps all residents safe while bringing Sydney back to the vibrant city it once was.
Rohan Indraghanti – Liberal Party of Australia
Born in Auckland and raised in a family of Indian immigrants, Rohan has proudly called Australia home for the last 19 years. As the Liberal candidate for Newtown, Rohan understands the challenges faced by local residents, especially local students. He is currently studying finance, economics and marketing at the University of Technology. He has also spent time in 2018 studying at the prestigious London School of Economics. He is also a proud local volunteer and has recently worked with not-for-profit Pyrmont Cares.
Sydney is the city with the third most expensive housing market in the world. What housing policies does your party have to address the problems that face people who are not adequately catered for by the commercial market?
As a young Australian, I know how hard it can be to save up for your first home, especially in inner-Sydney suburbs like Newtown, Redfern and Surry Hills, which is why I’m so proud of the NSW Liberals & Nationals for delivering the most comprehensive first home-owner package in Australia.
How should planning responsibilities be organised between the City of Sydney Council and the state government, so that the communities can have a greater say in the development changes in their local area?
Local character makes an area unique, particularly in Newtown. Our character is at the heart of the community. New tools have been put in place such as the Local Character and Place Guideline which focuses on local character, engages the community and helps the Council in its strategic planning.
With redevelopment projects throughout the inner city, how will your party identify and fund infrastructure that needs to be provided to accommodate the increased population density?
The NSW Liberals & Nationals have over 860 infrastructure projects across the state. When Michael Daley was Finance Minister he left NSW with a $5.2 billion budget black hole, and now he’s promised to scrap vital infrastructure projects already underway.
How will your party balance residential amenity and safety within recent proposals to develop Sydney’s night time economy?
Walking around Sydney at twilight, it’s clear Sydney is one of the most beautiful night-time cities in the world. The NSW Liberals & Nationals are committed to growing a vibrant, thriving night-time economy while increasing CCTV and funding extra police officers to keep Sydney-siders safe.
Norma Ingram – Australian Labor Party
Aunty Norma Ingram, Labor’s candidate for Newtown, is a proud Wiradjuri woman. She was born on the Erambie Mission in Cowra then moved to Newtown when she was seven and lived across Newtown, Erskineville and Redfern. Aunty Norma has spent her entire life fighting for what’s right and making history doing it; supporting the Aboriginal Tent Embassy in the 1970s; starting Murawina, the first Aboriginal full day care and early childcare program in Redfern; the first Aboriginal graduate from Harvard; fighting to open the National Aboriginal College; starting the Lions Club in Redfern. If elected on March 23, she will be the first ever Indigenous elder in NSW Parliament.
Sydney is the city with the third most expensive housing market in the world. What housing policies does your party have to address the problems that face people who are not adequately catered for by the commercial market?
I’m committed to making sure we have homes not just investment properties in the inner-city. I’ve experienced the lack of housing security directly and know the impact it has on people. Labor will end no fault evictions, make five year leases standard and limit rental increases to once a year.
How should planning responsibilities be organised between The City of Sydney Council and state government, so that communities can have a greater say in the development changes in their local area?
Developers shouldn’t have a free run with development in the inner city. Our services simply can’t cope. We need local communities to have a stronger voice in all local planning decisions. We will stop developers bypassing local councils. We’ll plan for future growth providing proper services like transport, schools and hospitals where they’re needed.
With redevelopment projects throughout the inner city, how will your party identify and fund infrastructure that needs to be provided to accommodate the increased population density?
The Liberals have been too pro-developer and mismanaged our city’s growth. Labor has already identified budget savings to fund our priorities in infrastructure. Our plan includes building new infrastructure before new housing is built to reduce congestion.
How will your party balance residential amenity and safety within recent proposals to develop Sydney’s night time economy?
I want to Sydney to be a city where people have fun and are safe on a night out. In an Australian first, Labor has a Shadow Minister for Music and the Night-Time Economy. We’re committed to a proactive plan to rebuild our night-time economy. So many people in Newtown are employed in these industries, it’s time government took their concerns seriously.
Jenny Leong – The Greens
As your MP I stand for making our wonderful city a city for all of us, action on climate change and public services for public good. The Liberals continue their privatisation rampage – doing dodgy secret deals to demolish stadiums, wasting billions on WestConnex, selling our public assets and outsourcing services. We can change the way politics has been done in NSW to stop the corrupting influence of money on our democracy. I will continue to work closely with our communities for safe, secure and affordable housing, campaigns against the sell-off of public land, investment in community services and education, and human rights. greensfornewtown.org/ourpolicies.
Sydney is the city with the third most expensive housing market in the world. What housing policies does your party have to address the problems that face people who are not adequately catered for by the commercial market?
The Greens believe housing is a human right. We support investment in safe, secure and affordable housing and have a plan to create 300,000 social homes over ten years. After years of working with public housing tenants as the Member for Newtown, I understand the issues and know that investment in maintenance as well as new housing is essential.
How planning responsibilities should be organised between The City of Sydney Council and state government, so that communities can have a greater say in the development changes in their local area?
The Greens will put the community in charge of planning decisions and return power to local councils with strong anti-corruption measures in place. We will abolish local and regional planning panels and bring councils together with departments of health, education and transport. This is essential to protect the communities of Waterloo and Redfern.
With redevelopment projects throughout the inner city, how will your party identify and fund infrastructure that needs to be provided to accommodate the increased population density?
The Greens will make ecologically sustainable development and integrated, community-centred approaches the primary objectives of the planning system. We will ensure that large developments cannot progress without firm and funded commitments to delivering public transport, green space, schools, hospitals and community facilities.
How will your party balance residential amenity and safety within recent proposals to develop Sydney’s night time economy?
The Greens support a vibrant arts industry and night-time economy – we want community interests put first when it comes to keeping our creative culture and music scene thriving while respecting the needs of local residents. We established the Newtown Vibe Roundtable – and know that punitive lockouts are not the answer.
Aaron Le Saux – Small Business Party
I am running for the seat of Newtown to make a change for the people who live here – myself included. The residents and businesses in this electorate have been ignored by successive representatives and they need a voice – now more than ever. I will remove payroll and land tax, cut stamp duty, cut red tape, and slash energy prices, as well as: fighting Westconnex and ensuring our homes are safe and secure; repealing the lockout laws, to ensure our residents are safe and secure; and improving public transport to the inner west and implementing on-demand buses.
Sydney is the city with the third most expensive housing market in the world. What housing policies does your party have to address the problems that face people who are not adequately catered for by the commercial market?
We have released a comprehensive housing affordability policy removing stamp duty for pensioners and retirees, cuts the rates for others, and outlines plans to implement a staggered payment for stamp duty – like HECS. This reduces the upfront burden to purchasing a home across NSW and helps bring prices down.
How should planning responsibilities be organised between The City of Sydney Council and state government, so that communities can have a greater say in the development changes in their local area?
DA decisions have now been removed from the hands of councillors, we have a situation where residents get less input into planning decisions than ever. This needs to change and go back the way it was. The community is being gagged and democracy destroyed. Local planning is a community right.
With redevelopment projects throughout the inner city, how will your party identify and fund infrastructure that needs to be provided to accommodate the increased population density?
Infrastructure needs better planning. We have seen with Light Rail and WestConnex situations where logic went out the window and people suffered. Successive governments ignored the planning studies they were give; they are doing it the wrong way around. First build the infrastructure, then the developments – the funding is already there.
How will your party balance residential amenity and safety within recent proposals to develop Sydney’s night time economy?
It’s important to have a vibrant city, but we shouldn’t force businesses to trade 24/7. Good planning allows both residents and businesses to live together – we need each other to have thriving communities. We need to be The Agents of Change, not create an us and them mentality.
