Stephen Hird, Candidate, Bakewell Ward
1. How will you approach restoring the damage resulting from the construction of the North East Link?
I understand the impact NELA has had because my business in Bulleen was compulsory acquired to make way for it.
I was 1 of 100 business that spent the better part of 2 years working on compensation.
This has given me the time to nominate for council and hopefully keep them to their promises to return our community back better than before.
Our parks and recreation areas have been greatly impacted as well as our local businesses as you know, if l have to count the 40,000 trees that have been promised l will.
Callum Shaw, Candidate, Bakewell Ward
1. How will you approach restoring the damage resulting from the construction of the North East Link?
Answer: I agree that the NELP has been contentious and has been a topic of concern for many. Many residents have shared with me that they are concerned with the dust and air pollution, the destruction of habitats and trees and removal of green spaces.
If elected, I would:
- commit to advocating for the involvement of the Environmental Protection Agency, to investigate the dust, air pollution and run-off into the plenty river, to ensure that the project is operating within environmental standards and is accountable for what they are producing.
- support any effort to investigate the damage caused and what needs to be done to remediate/restore the NELP space.
- seek commitment from the state government and NELP to planting replacement tree cover, equivalent to or greater than pre-project levels. Alternatively, ensure Banyule council and local environmental/sustainability groups share this responsibility, to ensure it is done in a timely manner.
- lobby NELP/state government to assist with any cleanup.
- investigate grants available to aid measures to rectify or mitigate damage done by NELP (state government grants are typically not accessed).
- work with sustainability and environment groups to understand what is within the local communities capacity.
- establish spaces for native fauna where habitat has been endangered, such as ponds for endangered frogs – ensure this is featured as part of urban designing plans.
- ensure plant cover replacing NELP spaces and future parkland include sufficient biodiversity and native plants to attract wildlife and insects.
I would further welcome any suggestions you and your organization may have, noting that I am not an expert on this issue, but am very eager to learn.