Amelia Lorentson’s smart and well considered answers to our 5 Questions to Noosa Council Candidates. Carved clean out of a crystal clear wave:
Would you commit to prioritising funding for infrastructure that is so important for the well-being of residents and visitors alike?
” Yes. It would be my commitment to ensure the Mayor, the CEO and the Director of Corporate Services complete and implement an Asset Management Plan (AMP) to prioritise funding for important infrastructure such as stormwater drainage roads, bridges, buildings and revetment walls.
It is Council’s job is to ensure that the assets supporting these services are managed ‘in a way that guarantees an optimal balance of cost, risk and performance.’
In 2017, Noosa Council gave QLD Treasury Commission an undertaking that an AMP would be complete. I do not believe this has happened.
Our infrastructure is deteriorating because we do not seem to have a programmed maintenance schedule. This needs to be addressed.
If elected, would you commit to taking meaningful action and work with our neighbours to improve our active transport network?
“Yes. We need to work with SCC to review and improve bicycle and pedestrian paths, especially in the Peregian- Peregian Breeze- Peregian Springs area.
It is important we get our kids riding to school for obvious reasons. Bike paths along Beckmans Rd, Sunrise Beach and Sunshine Beach, Cooran and Pomona are high priority.
We also need to commit to the Cooran-Pomona shared bike and pedestrian path. We cannot miss out on the opportunity to connect Railway Parade at Pomona and Railway Street at Cooran with a shared bicycle path that will be funded substantially from the State.
The Cooran-Pomona section is listed as Priority B (ie funded and constructed in 10-15 years). It needs a Priority A designation (5-10 year construction) for the State to consider a funding application from Noosa Council.
This is an important issue of concern in the Hinterland and should be considered a high priority project and be incorporated into 5- 10 year future works programs.
So we would like to know where you stand on this and if you would be open for revisiting the population cap and look at increasing Noosa’s carrying capacity?
“I support the SEQ Regional plan which limits Noosa Shire’s urban footprint or carrying capacity. So what is Noosa’s carrying capacity? That depends on our position on Air BnB, tourism and our ability to find more efficient ways to carry more people e.g. eco homes, compostable toilets, community gardens…
If elected would you commit to protecting the Glossies and investigate a Blue Care land swap option to a different site, a site both less prone to fire-danger and ecologically less precious?
“Yes. It is my opinion, that:
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- Council failed to identify the environmental significance of this area,
- Council failed to undertake current traffic management assessment,
- There was not adequate community engagement, and
- Destroying native plant species and feed trees for an endangered species is not representative of a ‘green’ Council.
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Good aged care facilities are needed, but not at a cost to the environment. Blue Care need to rethink and adapt their development plans.
I would support investigating a land swap to a different site. If this fails, I am committed to ensuring HEAVY penalties are placed on the developer for clearing feed trees within the area that were agreed to be saved by Noosa Council.
We would like to know which longer term climate change action(s) you would champion.
“Change our collective behaviour to slow down the rate of climate change.
“We don’t need a handful of people doing zero waste perfectly. We need millions of people doing it imperfectly.” Anne Marie Bonneau
WASTE: Restaurants, SurfClubs, RSLs, pubs, schools and resorts to install an OSCA (or something similar), an automated on-site composting machine that produces garden compost and takes pressure off our landfill sites.
WASTE: Residents in the Noosa Shire to join the compost revolution. Noosa Council to offer heavily discounted home compost bins and educational information to all residents;
WASTE: Introduce a 4 bin or 6 bin systems to allow more separation in bins.
DEVELOP A FORESHORE MASTERPLAN THAT ADDRESSES CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION. AND LOBBY ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT FOR FUNDING.
‘Investigate the most cost-effective and ecologically sound approach for reducing coastal erosion and improving resilience.’ Then IMPLEMENT.
Investigate ‘Green’ Coastal defences to buffer coastal zones from waves. Investigate the real value of ‘grey’ infrastructure i.e. building new seawalls, extending protective rockwork, bulkheads and rock revetment versus ‘green’ coastal defences also known as ‘living shorelines’ where natural communities of salt marsh, mangrove, oyster reefs and coral reefs to address sea level rise, flooding and coastal erosion.
Thank you Amelia for taking the time to answer our questions. We love your courage. Go get them (votes).
Follow Amelia on facebook.
