Greens look to the future

With local council elections looming on September 8, the Leichhardt Greens have nominated improved childcare and community access to White Bay as the foundation of their campaign.

Leichhardt Mayor, Rochelle Porteous said the Greens have a commitment to childcare in the next term.

“We have allocated $10 million to childcare in order to deliver a minimum of 450 new childcare places and new childcare centres,” Ms Porteous said.

“We are doing a complete overhaul of the parking. We have already started putting free wi-fi into our community centres and into some of our parks. In the next term of Council we want to roll out wi-fi into our main shopping streets.

“In the last term of Council we delivered 17 new and upgraded playgrounds. In this term we will deliver at least 15 new playgrounds, a skate park and also the Leichhardt Community Centre.”

Leichhardt Council recently won the prestigious RH Dougherty Award for Excellence in Communication for the Callan Park Master Plan. Ms Porteous is keen to see the plan delivered in the next term of Council.

Incoming Greens candidate Craig Channells is running number one on the Greens ticket for Balmain. He said: “I really want to represent the community and get the best for White Bay and get more community land in there … [we want] more space and parkland in White Bay. I really think that’s been a big issue in our electorate.

“I’ve been working on Callan Park and the mental health issue outcomes there as well.”

Hall Greenland hopes to make a comeback as a Greens Councillor; he was an Independent Councillor from 1999 until the 2004 election and is returning to fight the “big battles.”

Mr Greenland said: “There are battles looming over the planning laws in NSW. The Liberal Government has signalled this in their latest Green Paper; it’s full steam ahead for developers, and whipping down and axing the rights of residents.

“I think Leichhardt Council will be at the forefront of the fight to keep democracy in our planning laws.”

The Greens promise to maintain a tough stance on big developments for residents’ sake. Ms Porteous said: “We champion community control over developers. I think it’s evident that Labor and Liberal are not going to stand up to the State and Federal governments that are controlled by their parties.

“I think the Rozelle Towers development is a perfect example; Labor and Liberal allowed that development to be a part 3A and continue to keep it as a part 3A when it should be refused now and returned to Council.”