Priorities
I will work hard for our Community to make Hume a better place to live, work and enjoy.
Accessible Housing and Cost of Living Relief
Protecting our Landscapes, History and Environment
Strong Community Services and Caring for Volunteers
Fixing our Roads and Infrastructure
Accessible Housing
I am determined to improve our community's access to secure, long term affordable housing. We have a once in a generation opportunity to work with the State and Federal Government to secure significant investments in local housing to ensure that everyone has a home. On Council I will work to:
Strengthen Hume's Housing Strategy to include targets for affordable, social, community and public housing
Work with Council, community health services and community groups to establish a Hume Community Housing program and advocate for State and Federal funding of local projects
Engage with renters and home-owners in Hume to find solutions for housing stress
I will strive to make Hume a better place for everyone, now and into the future. Read why housing is a Council issue here!
Cost of Living Relief
We need urgent action to reduce the pressure of the cost of living crisis on our community. On Council I will:
Work with Council to improve equitable rate provisions for households, including relief for low income households and those experiencing financial hardship, increasing the existing Pension concession rate and extending rate concessions to Health Care Card holders
Advocate for fair prices and equitable access to Council services, transparency and accountability of Council spending, and prioritising programs and services with demonstrated community benefit. I will advocate to State and Federal Governments for fair funding models to reduce cost burdens on households.
Strengthen direct community support services including community health, community pantries and neighbourhood kitchens
Support library and Neighbourhood House facilities and programs, including toy, appliance and tool libraries
People and communities flourish when we are all supported. I will advocate for action to address the cost of living crisis to bring households relief.
Protecting our Landscapes, History and Environment
Hume is rich in history and natural beauty. I want to ensure that our local history and environment are preserved and enhanced for future generations. On Council I will:
Pursue a Re-Greening Initiative to support partnerships with landholders, farmers and community groups to support the planting of an extra 10,000 native plants over the next 4 years - enhancing and protecting our landscapes and local biodiversity
Support renewable energy, water conservation and sustainable waste management initiatives across Hume
Ensure that historical sites through Hume are protected and restored for community use while maintaining their architectural features
Strong Community Services and Caring for Volunteers
Our community services are a central pillar of our community. They do amazing work every day alongside community groups and volunteers to run programs, build connections and directly help people in need. On Council I will:
Support ongoing funding for critical community services and groups that provide for our community's needs
Advocate for improved funding for community health including dentists, pediatricians and specialist care closer to home
Engage with community groups to identify and address barriers to their work and support ongoing collaboration
Advocate for the expansion of low or no cost facilities for community use
Fixing our Roads and Infrastructure
Everyone in Hume is sick of potholes and the maintenance blame-game leaving our roads neglected and dangerous. Our pedestrian infrastructure is inadequate and in desperate need of urgent improvements to make sure that our town is accessible to all. On Council I will:
Work with Council to identify the cause of road maintenance delays and help find practical long term solutions. I will work to improve transparency and accountability on the progress of local road projects
Advocate strongly for much needed infrastructure funding from the State and Federal Governments to complete the duplication of Lancefield Road, expediate the Bulla Bypass and address key bottle-necks
Engage with our community to create a roads and infrastructure priority list to guide Council investment
Work with Council to improve pedestrian accessibility across Sunbury to improve the safety, functionality and connection of our public spaces for non-road users
Everyone deserves to be safe on our roads and in our public spaces, and I will work to ensure that safety is a high priority.