BUG: Survey

Nicholas, 

Thank you  for your email.  My main concern is in relation to the design and roll out of the Bicycle network.  Sadly since the introduction of the bicycle helmet laws I have reduced my use of bicycles.  

I am also concerned that little to no consideration has been given to what can be done to improve public safety and services for motorcycle and scooter riders. 

There are some circumstances and situations where bicycle lanes could be used and shared by  motorbikes/scooters and cyclist alike.  More consideration needs to be given to how we share the road network.  There are situations where the bicycle lanes contribute to reduced  road safety. Much more needs to be done to consider the needs of all users in conjunction, not in isolation.   

I do not believe it is the role of individual Councillors to decide on these matters but to seek the advice of stakeholders and experts so as to  ensure that proper planning and development is undertaken in the course of Council’s service delivery and resource planning.

Regards

Anthony van der Craats

Independent Candidate - Councillors

 

Melbourne BUG would like to help you reach the interested electorate in regard to your policies relating to bicycles as part of Melbourne's transport mix.  We have attached a questionnaire which allows open ended answers by you.  If you have time, we would like to meet with you and discuss the questionnaire, but alternatively you can just fill it in and return your answers to us.  To allow us to reach voters in time, we need your answers by 9.00am Wednesday 3 October 2012.

If you can make time in your busy campaign for an interview, please let us know when you are available and we will confirm. We do appreciate your time and attention.

Regards,

CBDWeb	Nik Dow

Questions about Heritage protection

Dear Katrina 

Thank you for your email. 

Please find attached below brief answers to your questions. 

I would also like to mention that I am a life member and former member of Board of Directors of the National Trust and past Secretary of the Defend Our Heritage group that campaigned to protect the Royal Exhibition Buildings and have it included on the World Heritage List. 

 I am very much supportive of the need to preserve and protect our built and natural environment. 

Regards 

Anthony van der Craats 
Independent Candidate , City of Melbourne Council Election 2012
Life member of the National Trust of Australia

Melbourne Heritage Action P.O. Box 24198, Melbourne VIC 3001, Australia www.melbourneheritage.org.au enquiries@melbourneheritage.org.au

Melbourne Heritage Action

Questions for City of Melbourne election 2012 candidates

September 2012

QUESTION 1

Do you acknowledge that the built heritage of Melbourne’s CBD is a vital element of Melbourne’s character, essence, liveability and desirability? Yes

QUESTION 2

Within the City of Melbourne, and particularly in the CBD, our built heritage is being steadily eroded. Buildings that were significant to our city’s character and history have been lost (Lonsdale House and 40% of the Windsor Hotel) or facaded (Myer and current proposals for the Celtic Club and Royal Saxon Hotel). Should the City of Melbourne continue to allow full demolition or facading of heritage buildings? No

QUESTION 3

The City of Melbourne has recently approved a Heritage Strategy for public comment. It outlines some of the many gaps in heritage protection in the City of Melbourne. Do you support the protection of a wider range of places and the upgrading of policy controls for heritage structures and precincts as recommended in the Heritage Strategy? Yes, and I would even go further. One policy that is being ignored by the City Council is the excellent policy document on Victorian Verandahs.  All too often Council officers ignore or shelve policies on heritage protection.

QUESTION 4

How will you ensure that this vital heritage strategy is carried out and funded in full and not abandoned as previous heritage studies have been in the past? I would insist that the City of Council when review of all planning applications that they take into consideration heritage preservation and where an application impacts on a site of significance that the application conta9in a detailed report and assessment of its impact on the heritage value in accordance with ICOMOS standards and procedures. I would also invite organistations and heritage experts, academics and architectural historians, outside the City Council, to sit on a heritage review committee that would have charter and responsibility to oversee heritage applications and Council policy development. This committee would operate in a similar basis as the National Trust Building Committee

QUESTION 5

Would you support the establishment of a dedicated heritage unit or steering committee within the City of Melbourne to ensure heritage is properly managed? Yes, see above

QUESTION 6

The recent CBD heritage review recommended 99 new individual buildings be heritage listed. However, this can only be seen as “stop gap” study. Many more buildings and notable precincts remain unprotected. Would you support more protection of Melbourne’s increasingly rare, smaller scale heritage buildings and precincts, including its laneways? Yes this would be a task that would fall under the proposed Heritage Committee listed above

QUESTION 7

As it stands a number of extremely significant heritage interiors such as Block Court on Collins Street and the Centenary Hall interiors on Exhibition Steet have absolutely no protection and could be destroyed at any time without the public or the City of Melbourne being notified. How would you ensure that heritage interiors are protected in the immediate future before they are lost? The proposed expert committee would have the charter to consider any application for inclusion on the City’s heritage list.

QUESTION 8

Melbourne Heritage Action recently compiled a detailed study of the CBD’s laneways and found that only nine laneways had any real protection. Many lanes celebrated by the City of Melbourne, such as Literature Lane and AC/DC lane, have had major developments approved that make little effort to enhance the lanes they are built on. Melbourne’s lanes continue to be sold off. How will you ensure that Melbourne’s laneway network is better protected and managed? The proposed expert committee would have the charter to consider any application for inclusion on the city’s heritage list and Council’s management policy

QUESTION 9

Following its inclusion on the list of 99 buildings to be considered for heritage protection in the CBD the famous mosaic floors of Rosati’s restaurant in Flinders Lane were demolished because interim protection—requested by the City of Melbourne over a year ago—had not been approve by Planning Minister Guy. Likewise, the historic former VD clinic on Little Lonsdale Street, on same the list, is the subject of a current demolition application by its owners. In your view, how important is the long accepted mechanism of interim heritage protection? High priority

How will you ensure that the Minister does not continue to ignore requests for interim protection from the City of Melbourne?  Unfortunately the Council cannot override the directions of the State Minister however it is appropriate that the Council monitor and highlight any threats to our built and natural heritage as identified by the Council’s Expert Heritage committee and actively use the resources of the Council to advocate for their protection and if necessary seek legal address at VCAT and the Courts 

QUESTION 10

The Minister for Planning is the responsible authority for projects in the CBD over 25 000 m2. This means the City of Melbourne is bypassed completely. This threshold is now thirty years old, which means that each year many more projects are over this limit and are ‘called in’. This gives the planning minister power over many more developments than was originally intended. Should this limit be raised, or eliminated altogether?

And should there be a different system for dealing with these larger projects which directly impact on the planning of Melbourne’s CBD? The Council remains the planning authority and has the right to make submissions to the State Government and if need be seek appeal and review.  It must retain the right of oversight and if need be the right to appeal to a higher authority or seek judicial review.

Updated; City of Melbourne Act

UPDATE.  The information published by Austlii is outdated.  The version of the City of Melbourne Act published on Austlii is not the current version.  The current version is 19A copy which is available on the Victorian Government Legislation site.    We have contacted Austlii requesting that they urgently update their data files.

Update2 :  Austlii have now updated its legilstative database and the City of Melbourne Act.



 

Melbourne set for another four years of lackluster

Melbourne City Council is set for another four years of lackluster leadership with Robert Doyle expected to win a repeat term as Lord Mayor.  Doyle's term of office has been uninspiring and seen little change.  His team is more interested in using the City Council to enhance their personal business interests than good governance. Most notable is Cr. Carl Jetter.  Cr. Jetter has been milking the City Council for the last eight years. A quick look at his claimed Councillor expenses says it all.  The good news is that Team Doyle have relegated Jetter to fourth place so unless Doyle can secure 40% of the vote - Jetter is history.

Also vying for the Lord Mayor position, in opposition to Robert Doyle, is ex Deputy Lord Mayor Gary Singer. Singer has recruited John So as his deputy.  Not John So,former Lord Mayor, but his son. Singer hopes to attract support by trading on John So Senior's good name.

The Greens, who are the only political party to endorse candidates in the City election, are also seeking the top job, but the odds are against them and they are expected to poll around 15% to 16%.  The Greens have no policies on governance, a Greater Melbourne or electoral reform. Their main focus is to use the Council as a stepping stone and platform in seeking State  and Federal epresentation, the City is secondary. Whilst they are not considered a serious contender for the Lord Mayor's position the Greens,in the absence of an endorsed ALP candidate, hope to pickup a second Councillor spot. Failed Melbourne State Candidate Catherine Oke heads their Counillor ticket. The Greens are expected to tank out as the forth candidate left standing for Lord Mayor. 

The best hope and main contender challenging Robert Doyle's re-election is Cr Brian Shanahan.  Shanahan, who is also a member of the ALP. Shanahan is heading up former Lord Mayor and community activist Kevin Chamberlin's Lord Mayor Ticket. Shanahan and  Chamberlian hope to appeal to the resident ALP base and pickup sufficient preferences to remain in the count. Shanahan is second on the ballot paper ahead of Robert Doyle which should give him a slight advantage in the distribution of preferences.  In 2008 this advantage was enough to elect Robert Doyle ahead of his main rival Peter McMullin. 

Candidates who will influence the outcome of the election but not expected to win are pollster Gary Morgan who has teamed up with  controversial identity former Liberal Party president John Elliott.  Morgan is expected to feed into either Doyle or top up Brain Shanahan's ticket.  The full details of preference deals will be known later next week.  65% of voters having chosen their prime candidate follow their HTV card.  The remaining voters tend to spray and then donkey vote down the ticket filling in all preferences.

Melbourne State by-election contender Carlton identity and former Councillor David Notle has also nominated for the Lord Mayor's robes.  Nolte played a decisive roll in determining the outcome of the Melbourne and could do so again in the council election.  To support his bid he has run a team of no less than seven candidates in the Council election which is headed up by ALP member Richard Foster. Nolte is expected to poll around 7-8%

Serial candidate, former Manningham.Templestow Councillor and regular media commentator, Stephen Mayne has also nominated for the one of the Council's nine Councillor position.  Mayne is hoping to secure enough votes to remain a contender.  the reality is he is more likely to be a feeder candidate and top up the Greens in what is a payback sweetheart deal for his support in the Melbourne by-election Mayne polled 4% of which 55%-60% flowed on to the Greens Cathy Oke.

Other candidates running but will have little influence in the outcome of the Election is Joseph Toscano, Benhad Ahmed and Keith Rankin. Rankin has the slight advantage of being top of the ballot paper. He is running primarily to support Doyle.
Whilst Robert Doyle is expected to win the Lord Mayor election, on the back of incumbency as the main and only known candidate, his team will not do as well in the Council election where the last two positions will be up for grabs with three main groups hoping to win.  The outcome of the Council election will be known on Monday when above-the-line preferences deals are finalized. 

 More information VEC web site

Mayne seeks support from Morgan

Ex-Councillor and serial candidate Stephen Mayne, who stood for the State seat of Melbourne at last months by-election polled only 4% of the overall vote coming in 5th behind the Sex party and local independent David Nolte, is now seeking a seat on the City of Melbourne.

Stephen Mayne, who lives in Templestowe, under controversial circumstances has resigned from the Manningham City Council - two months out from the Local Government Municipal elections scheduled for October 2012.

It is understood that Stephen Mayne had negotiated a preference deal with the Greens in exchange for his support at last months Melbourne by-election. Analysis of Mayne's Melbourne by-election votes indicates that he would not win a seat on the City Council in his own right, falling well short of the 10% quota required.

Stephen Mayne is seeking support from local identity, millionaire and power broker Gary Morgan. Whilst Morgan can not deliver a quota he could add a boost to Mayne's campaign to remain in the count relying on a preferences flow on from the Greens.  The exact terms of any support and deals made have not been disclosed.

Stephen Mayne's term of office on the Manningham City Council was fought with controversy and allegations of corruption and misuse of office. It looks like journalist Glenn Milne knew more than most when he spoke out against Stephen Mayne at the 2006 Walkley Wards

Melbvotes: Voter Turn out and 27% of electorate to decide outcome of poll

With one hour until the polls close voters in Melbourne are rushing to vote to avoid a fine. Voter turn out is expected to be lower than in 2010.  Each of the main parties Labor and Greens are elected to poll around 32%.  The big unknown factor is where will the 27% who voted Liberal place their vote?

A low turn out is expected to favour the Greens. Liberal Party supporters have been left high and dry not knowing who to support.  Many will opt to vote informal or may transfer their vote to the conservative  Christian Groups.  Many Liberal voters are weighing up their choices "Greens versus Labor". Many will cast a blank ballot and a considerable number will vote down the ballot 1 to 16 starting from the top.   A high informal vote and low participation rate will boost the Greens chances. Independent Liberal David Nolte (Unendorsed) is expected to pickup a large swag of the Liberal Party vote.

There are a host of rat bag socialist, looney left, green left and "independent candidates" who are actively trying to win over a few votes (together they will represent less than 3% of the overall vote most if not all will lose their deposit).

Labor and Green preferences will not be distributed but all other candidates will.

So who will be left standing and who will get their deposit back?   Those who are set to have their deposit returned are Berhan Ahmed (top of the ballot), David Nolte, Jennifer Kanis (ALP), Michael Murphy (DLP), Stephen Mayne, Fiona Pattern (Sex Party) and Cathy Oke (Greens) The rest are just stroking their egos.  As one egocentric left candidate on the booths tried to make out that if the result is determined by 20 votes they will have been the king maker, which of course will not be the case.  Most if not all the minor parties with the exception of the Christian alliance can not direct preferences. 40% or more will stray. The donkey vote, low voter turn out and level of informal vote will be the main decider.

We should know the overall results of the election by 7:30PM once the first three booths are declared.

Melbvotes: Stephen Mayne falls short of his expectations

Stephen Mayne has had a lower than expected support.  Unable to to man the polls fully, Mayne's campaign has failed to bite.  Mayne is seen overall as a spoiler anti-labor trouble maker candidate, whose sole aim is to feed preferences to the Greens in exchange for Green preferences in support of his opportunistic bid for the City of Melbourne Council election in October.  In spite Mayne's feeble and misleading attempt to portray himself as a Liberal Candidate by wearing a t-shirt in Liberal colors, Stephen Mayne has been challenged by Family First, the DLP and Independent Liberal candidate David Nolte.  Mayne is expected to poll below 10% and possible as low as 6%.

Poll workers are reporting a lower then expected turnout which may favour the Greens. There is a lot of resentment towards the Green's open door policy for people smugglers which has highlighted their inability to play a constructive roll in government. Even Cathy Oake was trying to play down this issue during the Friday media door stop. Overall poll workers are saying there is a better mood at the booths then in 2010.

The Socialist party and other minor feeder groups including the now defunct and unregistered "Australian Democrats" are actively trying to direct preferences to the Greens but they are being eclipsed by the more conservative Christian groups (DLP, Family First and Australian Christians - The Holly Trinity) are silently and effectively campaigning  away.  All three have successfully maned each polling place.


The Australian Sex party has also manned each booth but they are not as active in their campaign.  The Sex Party which trades mainly on its name, unlike the  Conservative Christian groups, will not be able to direct preferences.  The Holly Trinty are expected now to out poll trouble serial candidate Stephen Mayne.

Voter Turn-out and David Nolte key to Melbourne By-election

As expected low voter turnout and performance of Liberal member David Nolte is the key to the Melbourne by-election to be held on Saturday July 21

A low participation rate will play into the hands of the Greens who are battling to win the inner City seat from the ALP. Up for grabs is 28% Liberal Party vote.

The Liberal party has not endorsed a candidate in this election. Liberal member and order city of Melbourne Councillor and local pharmacist David Note is vying for Liberal Party members vote. Competing against David Nolte is maverick and controversial serial candidate Stephen Mayne. Steven Mayne's votes a crucial to the Greens chances in winning the seat.

 If Mayne is able to survive the count and out-poll Nolte then Mayne will pick up Nolte's preferences. Mayne however has not reciprocated Nolte's support, Mayne's preferences will flow on to the Greens which could see them come tantalizing close to winning the seat. However if Nolte manages to man the booth and the voter turn-out remains high then the ALP stands a good chance to retain the seat with an expected win by 2% to 3%.  Mayne's recommended preferences will not hold with an expected drift of 33% to the ALP ahead of the Greens.

 he DLP is expected to collect preferences from other Christian groups and provided they can stay in front of the donkey vote they will be a contender for Mayne. The estimated percentage of Mayne's votes range from 4.5% to 9%.  Noltle would need to attract most of the Liberal Party support base and he is pitching to win 15% + overall.

When combined with the Anti Green vote and the Sex Party the ALP should be able to scape home the victor. The Donkey vote and inverse Donkey vote (where voters select their chosen party then preference from the top of the ballot down filling in the blanks) is expected to benefit Nolte and then flow on to the ALP.

Given the number of minor candidates running the Green Primary vote is expected to fall. In the end it will be a close election but the drift in Preferences will not favour the Greens. We should know the outcome of the election after the results of three booths are recorded. ( At about 8PM) this will indicate the strength of each party and the swing in preferences.

Whilst the election will be influenced by Party branding and national issues the end result will be played out on local issues. TAFE, health and public transport and planning being the main focus.

Those voters that are influenced by national issues are already determined and very few are swinging voters.

The Greens have come under a little more scrutiny since the 2010 election and cracks are beginning to appear in their brand image, which is tainted by local influences. North Carlton residents have had to endure Greens on the City of Yarra. High rates and poor quality local services are all negatives to the Greens bid to win the inner city state seat.

North Carlton will be a seat to watch. It is also te district that David Nolte is best known. The Greens will do well in Kensington but not as well in neighbouring Flemmington.

The electoral map of the Melbourne electorate will be redrawn as the demographic changes in the. Inner city begin to apply their influence.

Over the last two to three State elections there has been a noticeable shift in Liberal Votes up from 19% to 27% in 2010. It is for this reason that the Liberal party supporters will decide this by-election and much depends on who they will support in the absence of a Liberal Party endorsed candidate.

Voting is compulsory and those who do not vote will be subject to a fine.

It is for this reason that we expect the Donkey vote to be the highest in recent times. possible as high as 7%

Overall we believe that push come to shove the ALP should be returned. Voter's wishing to maximize representation in Melbourne should place the Greens and Mayne last.

Stephen Mayne's grubby preference deal

Self advocate and serial candidate Stephen Mayne has entered in a grubby preference deal with the Greens in order to secure the Greens support for Mayne's tilt at the City Council elections in October.

Both the Greens and Mayne have placed the Christians (Family First- Australian Christians and the DLP) last.


Mayne has back stabbed Liberal Candidate David Nolte and has preferenced the Greens ahead of Nolte in his How to vote Cards. (Notle was dupped into placing Mayne 3rd on his HTV cards only to find out that Mayne sold him out and placed the Greens ahead of the liberal party.

Mayne's cynical move has brought Nolte's campaign to an abrupt holt.  up for grabs in the election is the 27% Liberal party votes that were recorded in the 2010 ballot. Both Mayne and Nolte hope to attract the support of liberal Party voters.  Whilst David Nolte is the only member of the liberal Party standing in the by-election offically the Liberal party has not endorsed any candidates.     Mayne picks up preferences from a host of rat bag socialist candidates but misses out on the Family First and DLP vote all which favour Nolte ahead of Mayne.  if Mayne can survive Nolte, his main rival Mayne will then go head to head against the Greens in what could be a three way battle.  Labor's candidate Jennifer Kanis is well placed on preference picking up most preference allocations ahead of the Greens The greens are 100% reliant on Stephen Mayne for any chance at winning the seat. Local polls show that it will be a battle between the greens and the ALP with the ALP maintaining a home advantage. 

The defunct Australian Democrates have abandoned their policy of a balanced how to vote card and have preferenced Mayne ahead of the Greens. Sex Party, which is expected to poll around 4-5% have preferenced the ALP behind David Nolte.  If Notle, who also benefits from the Donkey vote, out polls Stephen Mayne, Stephen Mayne's show comes to an abrupt holt. Mayne is expected to poll around 7% and (backed by the likes of Jon Faine, ABC radio) will take votes away from the Greens and partially the Liberal Party. in the absence of a liberal party endorsed candidate the donkey vote is expected to be much higher in this by-election, possible as high as 6% and could play a decisive roll in the outcome of the ballot