Jennifer Kanis.
JENNIFER KANIS, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY
What are the top three issues facing Melbourne residents and how would you address them?
The top three issues are Baillieu’s TAFE and education cuts, protecting and growing jobs, and threats to public housing. The best way to address these issues is to make Baillieu a one-term government.
What is your vision to help the homeless, mentally ill and dispossessed?
Unfortunately in March this year the Baillieu Government closed a 24-hour mental health helpline that had operated since 2009 and had helped nearly 10,000 patients a year access advice and treatment.
The 2012 state budget also threatens many community health centres forced to downsize services with gradual funding decreases. The budget of the Department of Human Services has been slashed by $180 million.
Our community deserves better than this from government.
What is your vision to help the homeless, mentally ill and dispossessed?
As a councilor I have worked with service providers and people experiencing homelessness and mental health issues to deliver better prevention and pathways projects. I will continue to do this if elected.
What will you do about Melbourne’s population growth and high-rise development?
I am concerned that the Baillieu Government has slashed Victoria’s planning department budget by 22 per cent, undermining open and accountable planning decision-making. The Baillieu Government has abandoned Labor’s $9 million Planning for Victoria initiative, which improved planning expertise for new residential zones. This will lead to massive planning backlogs and less community input.
The Baillieu Government is introducing laws that attack residents’ rights to contribute to planning decisions affecting their neighbourhoods. The VicSmart planning system will mandate height and density standards without proper community consultation.
Is heritage being protected adequately in the Melbourne electorate? Will you fix what is broken in heritage protection?
As a local councillor, I have been a long-term advocate for appropriate development across the City of Melbourne. Ensuring suburbs maintain their character and ambience is an imperative in the planning system. But I haven’t just advocated this view – I’ve worked to implement it.
As a councillor, I have been instrumental in ensuring that a thorough heritage assessment for Melbourne is undertaken.
It is important that as Victoria and Melbourne grow and regenerate, development is done sustainably and in a way that ensures people have adequate access to important community services such as schools and health services, and transport options.
If elected, which party would you vote with in state parliament? Would you cross the floor if you believed your chosen party’s position was not in Melbourne’s interests? Conversely, would you vote against the interests of the Melbourne electorate for the greater benefit of Victoria?
If I am elected, I would be elected as a member of the Labor Party. I would be ensuring that the interests of Melbourne are part of any actions that a Labor government undertakes. It is through a Labor government and having a representative in that government that the best interests of Melbourne can be served.
What shape should the East-West road link project take? Should it be built at all?
The Baillieu proposal will rip up inner-city Melbourne and not fix congestion in the city. The real need is to fix congestion on Hoddle Street. Labor started a project that was scrapped by Mr Baillieu. Fixing Hoddle Street will address the large volume of traffic that heads to the city, not across the city.
Will you support Moonee Valley Council’s plans for a bike lane on Mt Alexander Road, at the expense of a car lane, even if it results in increased traffic congestion?
A well constructed bike lane should not impact on other road-users. I look forward to seeing further information on the Council’s final plans and I hope the Council will spend a great deal of time consulting the community.
How would you fix traffic congestion at Flemington Showgrounds and racecourse during major events?
I live just near the Flemington Showgrounds, so I know only too well the congestion around the area during major events. The accessibility and reliability of public transport to and from events at these venues is key.
In my role as a local councillor, I recently met with the Showgrounds and racecourse about what solutions could be implemented to alleviate these issues. I look forward to implementing some of these.
If elected would you lobby for the reunification of Carlton (returning Princes Hill/Carlton North to Melbourne City Council)?
I believe no single boundary can be looked at in isolation. A piecemeal approach will not solve the issue around boundaries and will not ensure the best representation for constituents.
What steps if any will you take to restore public confidence and ensure that Melbourne City Council is open and transparent?
The Melbourne City Council has a strong emphasis on openness and transparency. In my time on council I have embraced community consultation as a way to implement better decision-making and ensure council is more accessible. If elected I hope I will be able to do so as Melbourne’s local member.