Advocacy:
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Saving Moore Park Inc. now has more than 3,000 supporters across our website, Facebook page and Twitter. Developments to the west of Moore Park are expected to result in 60-100,000 residents over the next decade, making the need for accessible parkland a critical priority. The draft Moore Park Master Plan has just been released and suggests various projects of benefit to those and others who use Moore Park.
Against this background, we thought that many of those who support us would like to know the views of each of the candidates for Lord Mayor of the City of Sydney at the election on 10 September. We therefore invited each of the candidates for Lord Mayor to submit a short statement outlining their views on the importance of Moore Park for the community. We received responses from Linda Scott (Labor), Christine Forster (Liberal), Clover Moore (Independent) and Angela Vithoulkas (Sydney Matters Independent Team). Angela Vithoulkas' response is below:
Councillor Angela Vithoulkas
City of Sydney Lord Mayoral Candidate and leader of the Sydney Matters Independent Team
There is no doubt that population projections for the City of Sydney and other local Government areas will continue to place pressure on open spaces including Moore Park. The pace of life and development leaves many in the community feeling vulnerable and overwhelmed by planning and big picture decisions that occur without their input.
The Sydney Matters Independent Team strongly believes that ‘true’ community consultation remains the key to securing amenity for all members of the community. Just like the trees of Moore Park, my business has been significantly impacted by light rail construction that is occurring on my doorstop. The process of getting my voice heard is overwhelming, taxing and time consuming. Consultation occurs with pre-determined outcomes and I strongly believe that as a community we deserve so much more.
As Lord Mayor of Sydney, I will ensure that the voice of the community is heard. In my personal experience, open spaces and individuals are impacted because plans are made prior to community consultation. The cart is currently put before the horse and it doesn’t work.
I will advocate to ensure that Moore Park remains a place for the community. As well as a city that is smart, safe and easy to deal with, Sydney must be a liveable city. Liveability is measured by taking a holistic approach and ensuring that green space is a priority for our physical and mental health.
Local Government and non-government organisations involved in planning and development must harness technology to inform the community of developments and plans and seek community input. As a Lord Mayor of Sydney I will focus on ensuring that community consultation and awareness remains tied to transparency and community advocacy, not just for the current generation, but for future generations to come.
10 August 2016