The Border Mail has asked leading group candidates and an unaligned contender their responses to five questions heading into next month's election.
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In the first of two parts, six hopefuls heading teams give their responses. The replies from remaining candidates will be published online on Wednesday this week.
ANDREW BOYD BARBER
1) What is your favourite thing about living in Albury?
The subtle beauty of our hills, plains, creeks and rivers; the lichen-covered boulders I played on as a kid; the birdsong, crimson spider orchids and squirrel gliders; the glimpse of snow on Mount Bogong on a clear winter's day; the varied facades, quirky building names and deep verandahs of Dean Street; our unique planning history from the cutting edge engineering of Hume Dam through to the grand plans of the development corporation; and, my favourite thing is Albury-Wodonga is home.
2) How can the council contribute to Albury recovering from COVID woes?
The recovery phase provides the opportunity to breathe new life into our CBDs and village centres. In my career as an urban designer I have worked on the post-earthquake recovery of Christchurch: working on major projects, tactile urbanism, and events to revive and re-establish the central city. It is this experience, if elected, which will be relevant to our post-COVID recovery.
If anything, COVID-19 demonstrated just how disruptive the state border can be. Albury and Wodonga should merge into one city; delivering the efficiencies and effectiveness to tackle the big issues and avoid a physical border splitting us ever again.
3) How effective do you think the Two Cities, One Community initiative has been?
It has resulted in some great initiatives and has been effective in bringing Albury and Wodonga councils closer together. However it does not go far enough and leaves major gaps in public transport, infrastructure and future planning. I would like to see a cross-border spatial plan: a city blueprint that covers both cities and sets out where and how we grow together, where major facilities such as hospitals and stadiums are located and how we connect public transport corridors. Ideally, Albury and Wodonga would merge and be one city which would negate the need for Two Cities, One Community all together.
4) Should the Albury pool remain at its site and/or a new aquatics centre be built?
I support a year-round aquatic facility with a hydrotherapy pool. For some, warm water provides the only opportunity for fitness and therapy and is vital to our collective wellbeing.
A major aquatic facility should be located alongside other facilities and activities, with good public transport and cycle path connectivity. The existing location meets that criteria, so could other locations.
I want to see a cross-border sporting strategy that sets out how we can, as one region, plan for and deliver sporting clusters, shared infrastructure and major facilities in the right locations, and avoid cross-border double ups.
5) What qualities should the next mayor of Albury have?
They should be courageous, collaborative and conciliatory: courageous to make difficult decisions for the long term; collaborative to work with a wide cross section of the community, including Wodonga Council and surrounding shires, council staff, experts and the people most affected/impacted by decisions; conciliatory to bring together the diverse views around the council table and create a well functioning elected body.
DARYL BETTERIDGE
1) What is your favourite thing about living in Albury?
Having grown up in Albury and lived and worked here my whole life, my favourite thing is running into old school friends, the parents of those friends and now also their children. I walk down the street or attend social and community events and am constantly struck by the warm and welcoming nature of our community. We have retained the small town charm and warmth even as we have transitioned into a larger regional city.
2) How can council contribute to Albury recovering from COVID woes?
Albury City Council needs to leverage off the various state government funded recovery packages that are available, such as the regional events, sports and recreation, regional job creation and community rebuild recovery packages. Albury should be in a good position to fit the criteria for shovel-ready priority projects due to the forward-planning of the existing council. The key will be positioning ourselves competitively with strong proposals and advocacy, and working closely with state government agencies, to ensure Albury gets its fair share of these supports. We should also be looking at the mental health recovery package as a way to ensure all those who have been affected by the stress of the pandemic on an emotional level can access what they need.
3) How effective do you think the Two Cities, One Community Initiative has been?
The initial work of bringing federal, state and local governments together for this visionary alliance should be applauded. I also think the initial investment of $3.1 million to undertake strategic planning is a positive step. More details around the Regional Deal need to be announced for scrutiny, and so we can quantify potential costs and gains. At this stage, we don't have a lot of information to assess the effectiveness. However I do think there is significant merit in deeper collaboration between Albury City and Wodonga. As chair of Parklands Albury Wodonga I have experience working on both sides of the river, and know that when we work together we can achieve more.
4) Should the Albury pool remain at its site and/ or a new aquatics centre be built?
I support a comprehensive review of the city's aquatics strategy with a view to planning future investments, but I have no preferred or predetermined outcome in mind in terms of what facilities we need - that is what a review will tell us. To me, fair and equal access for all members of the community is the main priority, especially for children as learning to swim is so important. A review needs to look at the practicalities of geographic access (for example, for those living in the growth corridor of Thurgoona, where there are no aquatic facilities), socio-economic access (will a large new aquatics centre allow affordable access for all? Could this requirement be built-in to the management of any new facility?) and inclusion (for example, of culturally diverse groups and people with disabilities).
5) What qualities should the next mayor of Albury have?
The mayor needs to be approachable and warm - interacting with all members of the community at events, whether in celebration or to take criticism, is a significant part of the gig. With the cross-border issues around the pandemic Albury has been on the national agenda much more than in the past, so we need someone who will represent us sensibly and thoughtfully. Mayors at times need to be able to put aside their own political wishes or pet projects for unity, as they are representing the council and the city as a whole, so that diplomatic and consensus-building side is important. And of course, being hard working and honest, and caring deeply about the community, are very important as well.
DARREN CAMERON
1) What is your favourite thing about living in Albury?
I love the affordability and accessibility of Albury, although recent house price increases have impacted this a little. The ability to get to work in 20 minutes from most areas of the city is a real advantage for most people.
2) How can the council contribute to Albury recovering from COVID woes?
It was my work on council that led to the current package which we have in this year's budget. This consists of the ability for people in need to get a remission or delayed payment on their rates and many other initiatives (such as not charging businesses for outdoor dining ) to assist during this difficult time.
3) How effective do you think the Two Cities, One Community initiative has been?
I think Wodonga councillors are not as committed to this as the Albury councillors are, on average, and I feel some good opportunities have been missed.
4) Should the Albury pool remain at its site and/or a new aquatics centre be built?
I think my position on this has been clear but it is worth repeating. The original aquatic strategy based on closing Lavington and Albury pools and building a $50m indoor centre at the Lauren Jackson Centre was rightly dismissed by the current council. It is simply not affordable for ratepayers of this city, apart from the $50 million the facility would require over $2 million each year to operate. We are now in deficit due to COVID and the push by Stuart Baker and his team to revitalise this plan has the potential to financially break this city. There is no way this option could be delivered without massive rate increases.
5) What qualities should the next mayor of Albury have?
They need expert knowledge of the Local Government Act and its regulations and of council's meeting code of practice. It is amazing to me that many long serving councillors, as well as some single term ones, are largely ignorant of their legal responsibilities as well as how to run a meeting effectively. A mayor must accept that he or she is first among equals and remain consultative and not run off taking actions without consulting with the other eight councillors and the community first. There is no room in our system for 'captain's calls'.
ASHLEY EDWARDS
1) What is your favourite thing about living in Albury?
I grew up in this region, and chose to return to Albury to raise my own family here. My favourite thing about Albury is its livability. We are so lucky here in Wiradjuri country to have beautiful natural spaces right on our doorstep - from the river to Nail Can Hill. We have many of the benefits of living in a city, like access to schools, universities, and hospitals, and also the benefits of a smaller population with a strong sense of community where we look after each other - underpinned by the wonderful diversity of Albury's 55,000 residents.
2) How can council contribute to Albury recovering from COVID woes?
COVID has demonstrated just how much council-owned infrastructure benefits our community. Our community centres were used as testing centres or vaccine hubs and are now bringing us back together, and our shared paths, playgrounds and parklands are being enjoyed more than ever. Significant investment in maintaining and improving our community infrastructure - whether that's a new library in Thurgoona, or youth space in North Albury, would have the additional benefit of creating jobs and stimulating the local economy. Of course council should also continue its current programs to support local small business and ratepayers experiencing financial hardship.
3) How effective do you think the Two Cities, One Community Initiative has been?
It's clear that our community wants to see even more collaboration between the two councils rather than competition. There have been some small successes so far - for example the co-funded cricket facility in Wodonga, and the regional natural environment strategy, but the partnership should go further - planning an public transport network that covers both sides of the river with one ticketing system, planning for affordable housing, co-ordinating services and events for young people, and enhancing Gateway Island are a few ideas.
4) Should the Albury pool remain at its site and/ or a new aquatics centre be built?
Albury-Wodonga needs a 50 metre indoor pool, and public hydrotherapy, but this doesn't need a new centre. A more cost-effective and achievable option is for both councils to collaborate to upgrade WAVES into an indoor facility while retaining both Albury and Lavington pools. This would meet the needs of all three different groups that use our pools - athletes, people using the water for health (eg. lap swimmers, aqua aerobics participants), and people including kids who use pools for leisure and play. Entry to our public pools should be free so they can be enjoyed by as much of our community as possible.
5) What qualities should the next mayor of Albury have?
Albury's next mayor needs the skills to bring together a diverse range of people to solve problems, make decisions and effect meaningful change. Albury needs a mayor with clearly articulated values and progressive vision for the community, both now and into the future. They should be empathetic to the needs of the community, have an understanding of the needs of people with different lived experiences, and be willing to empower and amplify the voices of others who would otherwise not have a voice.
ALICE GLACHAN
1) What is your favourite thing about living in Albury?
Our favourite thing about living in Albury is that we are distinctly Albury! Albury is a comfortable, welcoming and attractive city with a great sense of pride and community ownership. We have beautiful natural and built assets and a broad-based economy and businesses that make us a stand out regional city. Albury is big enough to have a centre of gravity but still with a country town feel. We are excellently connected to the regions with their many attractions and have easy access to the capital cities and our community has a great reputation for being welcoming and helpful.
2) How can the council contribute to Albury recovering from COVID woes?
Behind every thriving community is a strong and resilient business sector. Council needs to work
co-operatively with all sectors of the community and government to maximise the potential to turn adversity into exploitable opportunity. Council can actively lead the way with the "red carpet not red tape" motto to allow business and organisations to concentrate on their core functions and attract wealth and growth to the city and region. Council can coordinate the campaign to 'sell' Albury by bringing more people to make our community events, conferences, concerts and other attractions even more vibrant and inject more cash into our businesses and economy.
3) How effective do you think the Two Cities, One Community initiative has been?
Albury and Wodonga have effectively operated as one community for decades with the two councils working together in a number of areas. The more recent Two Cities One Community initiative formalised some of this work. Clearly there are significant advantages to such collaboration including economies of scale as well as access to facilities and services. An outstanding achievement of the positive relationship was the realisation of our Regional Cancer Centre and the Hilltop Accommodation Centre. The recent border restrictions highlighted how the real lives of our two cities are inextricably linked; we are one community.
4) Should the Albury pool remain at its site and/or a new aquatics centre be built?
People have long emotional ties to both the Albury and Lavington Pools with our centres having historically high utilisation rates. Pools have high through life costs and have a finite "life time". Being realistic about the costs and benefits, the new council will need to revisit the aquatics strategy. A good aquatics facility will be more efficient to operate, provide all year access to those with therapeutic, sport, recreation and learn to swim needs in our city and region. Council needs to work in partnership with state and federal governments to realise this community goal.
5) What qualities should the next mayor of Albury have?
Community leaders need a strong moral compass, to uphold high standards of behaviour, leading by example. The mayor needs to lead with humility and compassion, be inclusive and collegial, informed and objective. They need to unite the council with honest, realistic and dignified leadership, for the benefit of council and the community. The mayor needs to work co-operatively within the council, across the region, and with all tiers of Government to elicit the optimal outcomes for the community, which will inevitably involve compromise and understanding. The mayor needs to be respectful and respected by the community, to represent Albury with dignity.
ROSS HAMILTON
1) What is your favourite thing about living in Albury?
Albury is a great place to live, to work, to raise a family and to retire. It is a city where the Australian dream of home ownership is still alive and the daily commute is short. It's a city where you can swim in one of the country's greatest rivers - potentially alongside a platypus - after a day's work. Albury is a city where residents seek to preserve their wonderful regional lifestyle and ensure others can enjoy the same.
2) How can the council contribute to Albury recovering from COVID woes?
The next Albury Council needs to attract new residents to fill workforce shortages and support the city's service industries and promote free enterprise. The council should work with business organisations to ensure small business in particular can re-establish the strong retail and hospitality sectors that existed prior to COVID. Existing services delivered safely by the city are a priority and there should be consideration of the impact of COVID on household incomes when setting future residential and commercial rates. Albury Council should lead the community with planning, staging and supporting COVID-safe activities in the next three years.
3) How effective do you think the Two Cities, One Community initiative has been?
Prior to COVID-related restrictions, the Two Cities, One Community initiative was recognised as how Albury and Wodonga councils worked together to realise common goals. It is about understanding those who live in Albury-Wodonga live their lives between both states in the same way others traverse suburban borders in Sydney or Melbourne. COVID and state-enforced restrictions have posed a significant set back to the initiative. The Albury and Wodonga councils should meet to discuss and set new goals, as well as working with state and federal governments to remove the impost of state barriers on the city's economy and community.
4) Should the Albury pool remain at its site and/or a new aquatics centre be built?
Albury Council cannot go it alone on building a new aquatics centre because the financial burden on the city's ratepayers of both the capital project and its ongoing running and maintenance costs would be prohibitive without a substantial contribution from state and/or federal governments. Albury should meet with Wodonga Council to reconsider the provision of indoor and outdoor aquatics facilities across the two cities. Only then can a decision be made about the retention of any existing pool in Albury or Lavington.
5) What qualities should the next mayor of Albury have?
The next Albury mayor should be honest and empathetic. They should have integrity, management and leadership skills and good communication skills. The mayor should clearly understand the governance responsibilities of the council and the difference between the responsibilities of executive staff and council. The mayor should have the will to make tough decisions, as well as the ability to inspire others. Leadership is about investing in the growth of other people in our community, both inside and outside the council organisation. The mayor should understand they hold a caretaker responsibility of our city for existing and future generations.
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