Protect the Escarpment, Waterways, and Foreshore: Advocate for measures to prevent overdevelopment and ensure these natural areas are preserved for future generations. Support the establishment of an Illawarra Escarpment National Park for long-term protection and implement stronger local laws to prevent inappropriate land and tree clearing.
Preserve and Enhance Outdoor Spaces: Commit to revitalising and maintaining Wollongong’s parks, bushland, and harbour areas. Transform McCabe Park into a vibrant centrepiece for the city.
Prioritise investment in stormwater and flood mitigation infrastructure to protect people and property against extreme flooding events and ensure future development does not adversely contribute to flooding.
Beautify the CBD and Maintain Pedestrian-Friendly Spaces: Focus on beautifying the Wollongong CBD while ensuring the Mall remains pedestrian-friendly, creating a more inviting and vibrant city centre.
Promote Green Living and Green Jobs: Encourage sustainable living practices, including the use of rainwater tanks and the adoption of rooftop solar panels. Support the development of green jobs to bolster the local economy while protecting the environment.
Adopt a Biodiversity and Native Species Program: Ensure the protection of land and marine habitats, promoting biodiversity and the conservation of native species.
Build a Local Recycling Facility: Advocate for establishing a recycling plant in Wollongong to handle materials locally, decreasing the reliance on shipping recyclables overseas and generating local employment. Focus on substantially cutting down local waste while enhancing recycling and repair services to minimise overall waste.
Showcase Wollongong as a Tourist Destination: Highlight Wollongong’s unique natural environment and relaxing lifestyle to attract visitors and promote the region as a premier destination.
Support Sustainable Transport Initiatives: Promote cycling for its social, environmental, and health benefits. Encourage the use of alternative, sustainable modes of transport across the city.
Better and Safer Bicycle Networks & Pedestrian Infrastructure: Advocate for a fully connected network of shared cycling and pedestrian pathways along the coast and around Lake Illawarra to improve safety and accessibility for all.
Formalise Mountain Bike Trails: Work with riders, indigenous groups, and environmental organisations to formalise and maintain mountain bike trails in the escarpment, minimising the impact of illegal trails.
Lobby for an Electrified Bus Fleet and Expanded Free Bus Services: Push the state government to electrify the bus fleet and expand the free bus service to include routes along the Highway from the CBD to Figtree and Unanderra.
Stop Corruption & Increase Transparency.
Ensure an open and transparent Council with easy access to information for all community members.
Exercise strong oversight over the Council’s senior management team to maintain accountability.
Avoid waste through sound budgeting and careful management of councils resources.
Campaign to prohibit all donations and contributions from property developers to political parties and candidates at all levels of government.
Ensure that any major projects coming before the Council involve thorough community consultation.
Act with Honesty, Integrity, and Impartiality in all Council dealings.
Community participation in decision making
Strengthenthe role of Neighbourhood Forums by equipping them with the necessary information and resources. This will empower them to effectively represent and advocate for the interests of their communities.
take the feedback and concerns of residents seriously, incorporating them into the decision-making process to reflect the community’s priorities and values.
Restore Council’s previously axed committees such as the Youth Advisory Committee, the Bicycle Planning Taskforce and the Ecological Sustainable Development Committee.
Expand the public seating in the Council Chambers so more people can attend Council meetings.
Planning and Development
Support sensible, well designed development and introduce strong, strategic planning practices that ensure all developments are sensitive to the surrounding precinct.
Protect heritage listed buildings that are constantly under threat from developers. Encourage applications for new heritage listings.
Deliver new community infrastructure before more housing density is approved (including new schools, hospitals, public transport, roads, recreational and sporting facilities, green space, etc).
Review the Local Environmental Plan (LEP) and Development Control Plans to limit the bulk and scale of high-rise development and avoid Wollongong becoming another Gold Coast.
Community Advocacy
Support Gambling reforms that address the harmful impacts of gambling.
Provide a voice for those seeking employment. Demand the State government invests in our TAFE campuses and provides the necessary tools for job seekers to gain employment.
Promote Wollongong as the IT Capital of Australia in partnership with the University and the Innovation Campus.
Call for the State and Federal Governments to relocate public sector jobs to the Illawarra.
Advocate for practical solutions to the housing shortage and affordability. Supporting services to prevent homelessness.
Support Wollongong City Libraries’ early childhood literacy programs and “Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library” that delivers free books to children in Australia.
Encourage and support community groups involved in the creative and performing arts, other cultural events and environmental and heritage projects.
Work towards building a more inclusive society where individuals of all backgrounds and abilities have equal opportunities to succeed and actively engage in the community.
Advocate for greater resources and offer support to community groups dedicated to serving seniors, sports enthusiasts, youth, refugees, culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities, people with disabilities, and Indigenous communities.
