Candidates quizzed by northern Bellarine voters

COUNCIL candidates on the Bellarine have faced questions from the voters in the first of three online forums hosted by the Combined Bellarine Community Associations (CBCA).
The forum for the northern Bellarine, funded by the CBCA and moderated by CBCA chair Phil Edwards, took place via Zoom on Monday night.
Of the 10 candidates in the City of Greater Geelong’s Bellarine Ward, eight took part – Tom Harrison, Stephanie Asher, Stephen Simmonds, Tom O’Connor, Jim Mason, Trent Sullivan, Cory Wolverton and Elise Wilkinson.
Michael Fairweather was unable to join the forum due to technical issues, and Naomi Adams was an apology due to work and family commitments.
Probably the most contentious question of the night came from an audience member, who asked candidates to oppose all proposals for two-storey renovations or infill development in towns predominantly developed with single-storey housing such as Clifton Springs and Drysdale.
Jim Mason said it was “acceptable to have some two-storey buildings”, but it should be limited and defined in the Bellarine Peninsula Distinctive Area and Landscape (DAL) process.
Tom O’Connor said the question should be put to each township. “Do you want sprawl, where we get out into that rural area? Do you want to go multi-storey, and condense it? Do we start talking about footprint sizes on blocks? It really is a complex question.”
Stephanie Asher declined to answer. She said every planning decision had to be taken on its merits, and “we certainly wouldn’t be revealing how we will vote about it beforehand”.
Other questions included issues such as minimising waste and improving resource recovery, heritage and architecture protection, and social housing over and above the city’s existing housing strategy.
The CBCA will hold a forum for the southern Bellarine tonight (Thursday, October 8) at 7pm, as well as one with all Borough of Queenscliffe candidates on Monday, October 12 at 7pm.
To join the forums, send an email to the CBCA at [email protected].