Q1 Why are you running for council?
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A1. I am running for council to represent rural and village ratepayers to have a voice on council, most counsellors are town based not rural based and don’t understand many of the problems faced by the rural and village ratepayers.
Q2. How long have you lived in Bogan Shire?
A2. I have lived in Bogan Shire for 54 years.
Q3. What prompted you to run for council this election?
A3. I felt that the rural & village ratepayers needed more representation on the council, after all they also pay rates.
Q4. Have you run before?
A4. Yes I ran as a candidate at the previous election but was unsuccessful.
Q5. What platform will you be running on?
A5. I am interested in the upkeep of the town infrastructure, sewerage, water, floodgates etc. I also want better rural roads & infrastructure where needed, I want to see the villages amenities & infrastructure maintained & where needed upgraded.
Q6. Is there a specific cause or reason you nominated for council.
A6. There are a number of reasons I nominated as a candidate for council. Better rural roads, in particular the non asphalt ones, to enable better rural access to Nyngan to name one.
Q7. What would you like to achieve while you are in council?
A7. I would like to see a dedicated five bed dialysis wing constructed at the Nyngan Hospital or the New Health Centre to enable those residents of Nyngan to have Dialysis in Nyngan not to have to travel 160 klm to Dubbo for treatment.
Q8. What are your views on the Big Bogan?
A8. No comment.
Q9. Are you concerned about the rate of businesses leaving town or empty shops down main street?
A9. I am concerned about this occurring, but I also know that there are many reason why it is happening .
1, Some shops have passed their use by date, which means they require substantial money to bring them up to up to scratch, in some cases more than they are actually worth as real estate.
2. Absentee (Sydney based) owners who expect tenants to pay exhorbitant rents in line with those in Sydney, this isn’t the Sydney CBD it’s a small town, get real people, if you want those premises rented then set a realistic price.
3. Council is also to blame, in many cases the cost of getting reports cost almost as much as the actual restoration. Such as a parking report, if the parking is adequate now why will it cost the building owner $10,000 + to get this report done? Why is a noise report necessary? is there a night club being constructed in a building we don’t know about? So why is the owner being slugged $20,000+ for this report? As the owner said I will invest elsewhere & the building can stay vacant as the commercial return on $30,000+ shire expenses + the actual cost of renovation are just not going to be viable.
4. As in most of Australia many small businesses can’t cope with internet shopping as they can’t compete with the cheap imports, therefore they fold.
Q10. In my opinion what does the shire need?
A10. The shire needs better funding from the NSW government to fund any necessary roadworks, at the moment the government of both sides have slashed funding to rural councils to ridiculous levels to fund projects in Sydney at the expense of the rural areas.
Q11. What are your thoughts on CSG exploration & or mining in the Shire? Including the rare mineral
Scandium Mine.
A11. I am dead against any form of CSG, I think it should be outlawed. I have no problem with other mining provided it is carried out properly in accordance with the law. I think in many ways mining has been a very good thing financially for Nyngan, I welcome the new mine, again provided it is carried out properly. What I would like to see is more money being spent in Nyngan by the mines companies themselves, with more of our locals being gainfully employed as the” fly in fly out” miners spend very little in Nyngan.
Q12. What are your views on young people leaving Shire for further education or work & not returning? Is this concerning?
A12.I find it concerning that the young people are leaving Nyngan & not returning, but I am also aware that the opportunities are not available for them to further their education, lets be honest we don’t have a university in Nyngan for them to further their education, so they have to leave to pursue their education, for young people to return to Nyngan there have to be jobs for them to return to, at present there are limited opportunities for them to come back to.