As your Mayor, my commitment is to continue to be accessible to our community, to listen, and to advocate for the best possible outcomes for the City of Mitcham, at a local, metropolitan and state level. I brought to the role of Mayor my business experience as former owner of the much-loved, award-winning Artisan Cafe, and founder of the Totally Locally Blackwood shop local and social inclusion campaign. I also brought my problem-solving techniques learned as a research scientist at Flinders Uni. Combining these skills has resulted in my successful leadership of council over the past 4 years, uniting a previously divided chamber to make well-considered, evidence-based decisions to ensure a bright and vibrant future our community. We have also initiated several substantive, sector leading programs.

My re-election will bring continuity and stability to the organisation, allowing me to continue working with elected members to make evidence-based decisions, and with council’s administration to deliver services and plan for the future in more innovative and efficient ways. Additionally, Mitcham will continue to have a voice at a metropolitan and state level. I will continue to advocate to prioritise action on climate change, improved community services, and support for local business, while delivering the best possible value for money services for all ratepayers.

ACTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE

Under my leadership council has implemented many programs to help our community reduce our carbon footprint. I am committed to continuing and expanding these programs including our collaboration with ShineHub to provide solar solutions for our entire community, transitioning the council fleet to electric or renewables-fuelled vehicles, and expanding our tree canopy. I also support the implementation of weekly green and organic waste collection, investigating ways to encourage the use of reusable nappies, a fund to support residents in maintaining significant trees on private property, and, in conjunction with state government, prioritising the construction of bikeways and increasing accessibility to public transport.

IMPROVED COMMUNITY SERVICES

During the covid pandemic we saw how council’s outdoor, community, and environmental health services are essential to maintaining community health and wellbeing. To this end I am committed to the continued maintenance and improvement of safe, accessible and well maintained footpaths, sporting venues, clubrooms, playgrounds and reserves, as well as supporting and expanding the reach of our public health initiatives, libraries and community centres, community bus service, volunteer programs and community grants so that we can better support and service our entire community.

PRIORITISING LOCAL BUSINESSES

Historically, Mitcham council has not been involved in supporting local business, however, under my leadership council adopted a weighting for local procurement, to ensure more of council’s money is spent locally. Additionally, after 30 years of inaction, Council obtained sufficient government funding to undertake Mitcham’s most expansive project - the construction of the new Blackwood library/community centre and associated Young Street and Waite Street Reserve upgrades. This project is set to create a focal point for Blackwood and is expected to act as a catalyst to reinvigorate the entire Blackwood precinct. It is my intention to work with businesses, landowners and the state and federal governments make our City a multi-precinct destination by activating our other business hubs including Goodwood Rd, Belair Rd, South Rd and the Mitcham Village.

TRANSPARENCY

Early in this term, council made the decision to voice record full council meetings. These recordings are available via the council website and have substantially increased the transparency and accessibility of council’s decision making process. However, meetings are not live-streamed despite the success of virtual meetings and audiences for several months in response to Covid-19 restrictions. I believe that residents and businesses have a right to know how and why their elected members are making decisions in real time and will continue to advocate for a permanent live-streaming solution.