* Your Council Candidates Sustainable? (updated version of * in the Courier-Sun, 3/9/08)
In the lead-up to the Council election, the BSTI has conducted * survey of the three mayoral contenders * the lead candidates, in order to learn their opinions on key environmental * sustainability issues.
There were ten questions * on the survey. Candidates were * to rank from 1-5 their support for possible Council * * the topics of:
• local electricity production,
• water health * rainwater tanks,
• local food production, public transportation * bicycle pathways,
• energy efficient development, *
• community education * climate change * peak oil.
* twelve candidates responded to the survey, * the overwhelming reaction was that of support for initiatives that would help our shire lower its carbon footprint, while building up our community resilience in the face of less * * more expensive fuel * oil.
* twelve respondents * that “proactively engaging with landholders * other * to ensure the health of our river * drinking water” was of the highest priority. Ten out of twelve gave their strong support to the “development of local energy production, through * network of * energy generators”, * eight respondents strongly support “expanding bicycle * pedestrian pathway construction * use”.
Respondents were most divided on the question of whether * “more comprehensive public transport system throughout the Bellingen Shire * between the Shire * Coffs Harbour” needed strong support. Subsidised rainwater tanks were supported by some candidates, but questioned by others.
Of course, * with * survey, it can be said that “ticking the right boxes” does not necessarily reflect the * behind the words, or indeed the track record of some of the Councillors who * standing for re-election. In the end, the most interesting part of the survey is the comments that nearly * of the candidates took time to write. These comments * part of the surveys which * posted subsequently to this posting. For those who prefer to read * hard copy, folders with copies of * the Surveys * * both * the Bellingen Library * * Kombu Wholefoods.
Reading the Survey results is * good opportunity for the voters to learn more * each candidate * their vision for our community. Let us * make use of this knowledge to vote for those candidates that will be * to lead us through what * sure to be interesting times *.
PLEASE NOTE: The Surveys * posted in the order in which they were received.
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