Moira Were

2022 candidate for City of Onkaparinga.
Heritage survey responses.

Do you think that Councils and community members need to have a greater voice in planning and development decisions affecting their local area?
Yes
What role should Councils play in protecting local heritage places from demolition or inappropriate development?
At the moment there are limited ways in which councils can get involved. However Councils have a role and responsibility to advocate to other authorities eg State Government for the changes they are seeking in both process and decisions. Also councils have other levers they can use such as their procurement policies, investments and opportunities for partnerships and collaborations with others including Aboriginal communities and leaders and environment groups to bring forward to the conversations needed to protect, conserve and enable appropriate development.
How would you seek to improve protections for heritage places in your area?
Protection comes after education and community engagement. I would seek to build better 'literacy' about the places and spaces that are important, why they need protection and what makes them valuable for now and future generations. I would encourage more advocacy and support community groups to learn how to continue to mobilise and advocate for the protections they want to see in place. If people love and understand what is important to them and future generations, they are more likely to want to protect it when it is under threat.
We rarely see new places added to local heritage listings. Why do you think this is?
I don't understand or know much about local heritage listings and it is something I need to learn more about. I think it helps tell the stories and build depth into our knowing about place and people. I would want to see this done with a commitment to truth-telling as well, because there are many sites that have an understory from colonial times that could enhance and contribute to reconciliation.
How has the Planning and Design Code impacted on the heritage, amenity, and environment of your area? What changes would you seek to the Code?
I still have my L's on as far as this code is concerned and have a lot to learn. I would like to understand better what is working well and why and what isn't working well and why. Once I had that understanding, then I would be in a position to have a view on what changes I would like to seek.
What are the impacts of infill development in your area? What changes would you seek in the rules around infill development?
Onkaparinga is the largest Council in South Australia. With over 177,000 people and covering 10% of the state infill is one issue in older suburbs covered by the council and less of an issue in the peri-urban parts. I would be keen to see how Onkaparinga might be able to be used to pilot and test some new ideas especially in relation to housing affordability as housing and homelessness is rising in our community. There is potential for more community housing, possibly tiny-houses and similar that might address infill challenges and housing crisis at the same time where we could explore what rules are the best fit for place.
Construction of new housing typically uses 30% labour and 70% materials. Renovation of existing housing stock typically uses 70% labour and 30% materials. What policy changes would you like to see made to encourage people to renovate, rather than demolish and build anew?
I would like to see more effort put into the circular economy by the construction industry. There are already some excellent efforts being made in SA, supported by Green Industry SA. So more policies that connect to refusing to use some materials (eg single use plastics in construction) and incentives for renovations that include repair and restore options.
How should the community be informed and involved in decisions about new developments?
Community engagement needs to be designed with the people in mind, not the outcome. Informed and involved are 2 processes, consultation is also necessary and there are opportunities for collaboration as well in new developments. For example schools, environment groups, businesses and entrepreneurs need to be harnessed to get innovation into the design of new developments. Being informed requires being well connected to get the message out through the channels and places where people are - no point having an ad in a newspaper that no one reads.
Do you think there is adequate tree canopy across your local government area?
We can increase the tree canopy and in doing so increase the bio-diversity.
How would you like to see significant and regulated trees in your area protected from removal?
I would expect consultation with the community and relevant bodies eg if it was a scar tree involving local Aboriginal leaders and elders. The protection mechanism may need to regulatory, but it must include consultation and an explanation of its significance and possibly some signage to educate and inform others about why protection and not removal is necessary. Early advice on why a tree is under threat of removal and mechanisms to collect data and story before it is removed, if that is what is needed in the end.
What involvement should Councils have in decisions about protecting or removing significant and regulated trees?
Councils need to be vigilant and build relationships and advocate along the way, rarely is it effective to come in at the last minute. Elected members have a responsibility to represent their council and so often don't find out until late in the piece as issues are often dealt with by administration and elected members aren't aware of what's going on til too late. So I would be fostering more involvement with elected members being educated so they can be more involved.
What actions would you advocate to slow or mitigate the impacts of climate change in your local government area?
I support the City of Onkaparinga's existing coastal management and climate plans - I would like us to go further and declare a climate emergency. We can do more with procurement, more with enabling and fostering innovation with waste and water management and energy (eg micro-grids citizen led and managed; EV charging stations in parks, libraries being sites for Code Blue and Code Red times)
What issues are there with traffic and parking in your area?
The City of Onkaparinga is 10% of the state - this feels like a question for urban inner city councils. Traffic issues are centred around South Road and the duplication process and upgrades going on at the moment are valued by commuters. parking on council owned roads is often a summer time challenge in the beachside suburbs.
How could transport options be improved in your area?
We are looking forward to a train extension to Aldinga in coming years. The bus/ train transport hubs are well used and very popular. Lack of public transport in remote parts of the council could be improved, also a number of suburbs don't have footpaths fit for wheelchairs and scooters which impacts on the mobility of people with disabilities, so this is an area where improvements could be made.
What would your top three priorities be for improving planning policy and outcomes in your local government area?
Increasing literacy of the issues through education about planning - what's in and what's out
Building more understanding and increasing experience with Aboriginal knowledge of ecology into planning processes
Disability access pathways from footpaths to road crossings