L’Etape to consult more
Campaign to save The Farm p3
First history recognised p3
ANZAC Day round-up p7
50 years for the Garden Club p5
p13
17 APR 2021
Candidates emerge for Sept election Ahead of this September’s Council election, a number of people have already announced they will be standing, despite registration of candidates and groups not closing until 4 August. With at least three councillors not standing on 4 September (Councillors Sloan, Westhoff and Honey [confirmed for this article]), and two still undecided (Councillors Way and Steel) the competition is shaping up early. Kiama Labor branch has announced it will be running an endorsed ticket for the first time in more than twenty years, with its top spot going to 22 year old arts/law student, Imogen Draisma. “When we put it to the members, they were pretty much overwhelmingly in favour of having an endorsed ticket,” says Kiama Labor Branch President Jamie Cole. “Members felt it would be the best way of having our voices and Labor values put to Council.” Councillors Matt Brown and Don Watson are members of the Kiama Labor branch, but want to run again on an unendorsed ticket. “I have never have been a big fan of party politics in local government,” says Cllr Brown. “That is not to say that others can’t have a different view.
“We will be running a separate ticket, but will be supporting the endorsed ticket as well. It is good to see some young people looking to get active and involved in the local community. “We are just focusing on the job as councillors at the moment.” The process is underway to The Kiama Labor team: (front) Stuart Larkins and Imogen Draisma; (rear) Robyn Sharp, Michael Bowden, Chris Cassidy get final approval from the party for their Central Precinct, a founder Ms Draisma and Stuart Larunendorsed ticket. of Kiama Community Radio kins, a lawyer from Kiama “The branch is happy to and is behind the micro-plas- Downs in the first two spots. support an unendorsed tick- tics research initiative. They will be followed et,” says Mr Cole. “It’s time we had a council on the ticket by Michael “We support anyone who is that can work cooperatively, Bowden, a community passionate and wants to run.” under strong leadership, for educator from Kiama; Robyn Councillor Neil Reilly has the benefit of all ratepayers, Sharp, an artist from Foxalready put a group together, rather than the financial gain ground; and Chris Cassidy, and will be announcing his of a few,” she says. a former Mayor of Auburn team in the near future. “I’d like to be part of that, who now lives in Gerroa. “We’re just finetuning our and I’ve shown that I have Ms Draisma joined the policies and platforms,” he the commitment, energy and party when she was 18, and says. experience to do so.” has grown up in a family Karen Lang has also indiWith Councillor Andrew with a long involvement in cated she is standing for the Sloan not running for re-elec- the union movement. Having election, and has registered tion, The Bugle understands been involved with developthe SAFE Kiama group the Kiama Greens team will ing state party policies, she is which already has some be launching its ticket, led by keen to get more involved on signage around town. Councillor Kathy Rice, in late a local level. She is a community memApril/early May. “I’ve always been conber on Council’s Planning The Labor ticket is a mix of cerned with progressive continued on p6 Panel, an active member of youth and experience, with
Akuna St: clarify the vision first A decision at an Extraordinary Meeting of Council has set in train a process that will mean it will be up to the new Council to decide what ultimately goes on its Akuna St/Mitre 10 site. By the narrowest of margins (Reilly, Honey, Sloan, Rice and Westhoff for; Steel, Brown, Watson and Way against), Council decided to: • complete the Town Centre Development Control Plan (DCP) which will include site specific controls for the Akuna Street prior to undertaking any further work or negotiations relating to the sale of the property • continue to develop a masterplan for the Akuna Street site which includes options for a supermarket, open space, residential and commercial uses, and parking • confirm that any potential future sale of this site is
to be undertaken within a competitive tender process • investigate the development of appropriate covenants and documentation required, including an appropriate policy for any potential future sale of this and other sites, following the finalisation of the required planning controls. “I would have loved to have a resolution before this Council winds up, but the circumstances over the last couple of years have really not allowed us to get to that stage,” says Mayor Mark Honey. “Basically it gives the community an opportunity to have some input into what goes there. “We keep getting opinions about how valuable it is and yet you really can’t put a value on it until you actually have a plan for it.”
continued on p9