Keswick Ward 2022 Election

Hi, I’m Michael and I am running to be your local Councillor for Keswick ward this council election.

I live in Keswick with my family and am proud to have been active in our community for many years, as your Councillor for 6 years (2010-14 and 2017-18), and more recently as Chair of the Richmond Primary School governing council and previous school soccer coach.

I’ll have more to say about my future priorities for Keswick in coming weeks, but my focus is to work with you, our residents to make our community a better place to live.

I look forward to your support in October! I’m here to work for you, please reach out with any feedback or ideas for our community.

To give an idea of what I stand for and my focus areas, below is a list what I delivered when I was your Councillor 2010-14 and 2017-18.

-New ‘Pocket Park’ on Milner Rd Richmond

-New $2.5m nature play, multipurpose courts, and toilet at Weigall Oval (prioritised over the professional playing fields)

-New Dog park delivered in Marleston

-Playground upgrades, Cross Tce, Peake Gardens, St Georges Ave, Jubilee Reserve, Mile End Common

-New fence at Rex Jones reserve for improved safety for playing children

-Reduced cost of residents parking permits to be more affordable (twice), and less hoops to jump though for residents to obtain a parking permit

-Changes to parking restrictions in several Keswick streets to deter commuter parking

-Moved to speed up the Local Area Traffic Management study of our local suburbs (mostly not implemented yet unfortunately)

-Trial of first residential LED streetlights in Keswick

-Upgrade of lights to LED in Keswick part of Westside Bikeway

-Formulation and consultation of Housing Diversity Development Plan amendment in 2014 to protect Character Areas in Ashford and Glandore

-In 2017, a loophole was discovered 8 storey building at Glandore was allowed- joined with community to fight off

-In 2018 and then lobbied the Planning Minister to agree to an amendment to the Development Plan (unfortunately subsequently abandoned by council in 2019)

-Provision of free kitchen caddies and compostable bags to all residents to encourage large reduction in waste to landfill

-Increased use of recycled water for greening the Westside Bikeway and Richmond Oval

-Arranged for the replacement and addition of many many street trees.

-The move to 2 free on-call hard rubbish collections and free dump vouchers

-Saved the oldest public building in Keswick from demolition (Keswick Mothers and Baby’s)

-Ensured popular summer festival was brought out to each ward rather than centralised to ensure easy access for locals

-Moved for public release of all Council credit card transactions to encourage transparency

-Questioned and moved for release of confidential reports unless for a very good reason

-New safety signs designed and installed at school drop off zones

-Key driver of Council implanting the LEAN efficiency program of doing more with the same or less resources

I believe in an open, accountable and transparent Council that delivers facilities, services and infrastructure for our residents benefit first.