Stephen Spence

2022 candidate for City of Onkaparinga.
Heritage survey responses.

1. Do you think that Councils and community members need to have a greater voice in planning and development decisions affecting their local area?
   Yes. I have a ten point plan which I will outline in this survey by placing the major points against your questions: Prevent out of control development with a better planned approach, is a major item on my plan. As an independent community candidate I have limited resources to extensively answer surveys so I intend to use my ten point plan as an indication of my position on these questions. I have the skills and experience as a Port Adelaide Councillor in the nineties as part of a progressive caucus and more recently as a Surrey County Councillor in England as part of the residents association/independents group before I returned back to South Australia having completed my international work as trade union official. I ran Actors Equity/MEAA in SA/NT and was President of the SA Unions. In the UK I was an SMT member of Equity the arts and entertainment union there and a member of the TUC General Council. So I've been involved in campaigning over the years from trying to save the House of Chow in Adelaide, where we brought Jack Mundey the green ban champion into the struggle, to ensuring out of control traffic in my town in Surrey began to be addressed after more than 50 years of reports and little action. I am a progressive who has a history of getting results. **Stephen Spence's Ten Point Plan Resist further privatisation of community resources by halting the tendering process on local water assets Prevent out of control development with a better planned approach Improve air quality through lobbying for better traffic management Provide greater assistance with social housing and homelessness issues Help with the cost of living crisis through value for money services and limiting rate increases Campaign to improve employment and business opportunities in the Council area Acknowledge the climate emergency Take steps to encourage more sustainability in Council and community activities Preserve the natural environment for future generations Continue to value the South Coast's unique heritage and culture including that we live on land that for thousands of years was in the custodianship of the Kaurna people. That heritage deserves our respect, as do elders past present and emerging.

2. What role should Councils play in protecting local heritage places from demolition or inappropriate development?
   Councils should be a strong advocate in such matters: Continue to value the South Coast's unique heritage and culture including that we live on land that for thousands of years was in the custodianship of the Kaurna people. that heritage deserves our respect, as do elders, past, present and emerging.

3. How would you seek to improve protections for heritage places in your area?
   Through community and Council lobbying: Preserve the natural environment for future generations.

4. We rarely see new places added to local heritage listings. Why do you think this is?
   If they're not on the list they can be redeveloped with more density and greater profit. Listing protects and preserves heritage: Prevent out of control development with a better planned approach.

5. 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?
   If elected I will seek Council facilitate a discussion and debate that engages the community to propose changes to the code strengthen heritage protection.

6. What are the impacts of infill development in your area? What changes would you seek in the rules around infill development?
   Greater density and loss of rural space. Changes would be proposed following the Council facilitated discussion and debate with the community on strengthening the control of out of control development: Prevent out of control development with a better planned approach.

7. 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?
   Incentives for renovating.

8. How should the community be informed and involved in decisions about new developments?
   Through meaningful community engagement and participation.

9. Do you think there is adequate tree canopy across your local government area?
   No: Preserve the natural environment for future generations.

10. How would you like to see significant and regulated trees in your area protected from removal?
    Greater protection for trees and more planting of new trees.

11. What involvement should Councils have in decisions about protecting or removing significant and regulated trees?
    Councils should have a greater involvement: Preserve the natural environment for future generations

12. What actions would you advocate to slow or mitigate the impacts of climate change in your local government area?
    Acknowledge the climate emergency and develop strategies and plans from there as part of the community consultation process.

13. What issues are there with traffic and parking in your area?
    Significant. From my ten point plan; Improve air quality through lobbying for better traffic management

14. How could transport options be improved in your area?
    Acknowledge the climate emergency and take steps to encourage more sustainability in Council and community activities.

15. What would your top three priorities be for improving planning policy and outcomes in your local government area?
    1. Prevent out of control development with a better planned approach
    2. Provide Greater assistance with social housing and homelessness issues
    3. Preserve the natural environment for future generations