WITH pre-polling for the Port Stephens local government elections underway, News Of The Area offered the three mayoral candidates one final opportunity to spruik their policy platforms.

Candidates were asked to supply 200 words on themselves and general policies, and 100 words on their position on offshore wind development off the Hunter coast.

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Here are their responses in the order they appear on the ballot paper.

Leah Anderson – Labor

“My family moved to Port Stephens 20 years ago, and I have raised my two children here.

I have 35 years’ experience in finance, including as a small business owner.

I have volunteered for decades, including fifteen years with Rotary, Past President of Business Port Stephens, and founder and past president of Port Stephens Women in Business.

I have spent my first term on Council as East Ward Councillor, and this past year as the Deputy Mayor, learning as much as I can and being the Councillor our community deserves.

I have attended 100 percent of Council meetings and briefings.

I also regularly attend community meetings and host mobile offices – not just at election time.

This will all continue.

I have proven that I take the role of being an elected representative very seriously.

I won’t juggle being Mayor with another day job.

I will be your full-time Mayor.

I will take action as your Mayor to improve our local roads, pathways, and infrastructure, keep rates low, improve on our rubbish services, build houses all across Port Stephens, especially more social and affordable housing. I will support more community events and protect our environment.

I am opposed to the proposed wind farm located offshore of Port Stephens, and I will maintain that position until there are independent environmental studies provided which could convince me otherwise.

I will not be easily convinced, and I will, as always, take my lead from the community’s response to those studies and all critical analysis of those studies.

This is a five to seven year process for the feasibility study to be done.

I will make sure that our community is kept regularly informed by the Federal Government on the progress of the feasibility studies and that there is regular community information and consultation.

I listen, I care, and I act.

I am confident that if I am your new Mayor, you will not be disappointed.”

Mark Watson – Independent

“There is a large level of under-representation and it is very obvious that Council needs a shake up with an introduction of fresh faces that are willing to engage with the wider community and make sensible well-rounded decisions.

I firmly oppose the Hunter Offshore Wind Farm and believe Council holds a responsibility to represent its community, it should be a voice of strong opposition.

This project, if it goes ahead, has the potential to permanently change the fabric of the community and have an impact on the environment, tourism, small business, commercial and recreational fishing.

It is important we have Independent councillors that do not toe a party line and step up for the community, putting pressure on the elected parties.

Council needs to focus on the basics, such as rates, roads and rubbish, ensuring ratepayers money is spent responsibly and in line with community expectations.

We need to look at how we can more efficiently repair our roads, improve runoff and drainage and have accountability of work undertaken.

We also need to advocate for the state to bring their roads up to scratch.

It is very important that we provide a satisfactory service to ratepayers.

There needs to be a focus on fixing the Shoal Bay foreshore immediately; also the discussion of an alternative access road needs to be had, and community input will be vital.

We also need to be providing sufficient sporting facilities for our youth – many sporting fields were impacted this wet season due to poor drainage.

This puts pressure on families, clubs and volunteers.

I won’t be afraid to ask the hard questions and will be focused on getting the job done for our community.

I believe there should not be any party politics within Council.

It should be free from party influence and be truly independent for the people by the people.”

Paul Le Mottee – Independent

“My team and I are determined to make Council part of the solution to the housing crisis rather than being part of the problem.

In the last year, housing approvals are up 137 percent in Newcastle, up 48 percent in Maitland, but down 68 percent in Port Stephens!

We are just as determined to redirect Council spending to roads and facilities and away from bureaucracy.

It has been very wet for four years.

Our roads are in terrible condition.

We are going to be playing catchup for years.

Everybody is dependent on our roads.

Money will need to be diverted from every available source, and the State and Federal Government will need to be hounded for grants.

My team are utterly opposed to party politics in Councils, and we ask your support in keeping Port Stephens a Council of the people, and not of Sydney or Canberra.

No political party should have control of a Council.

Councils don’t use the Westminster System.

Council is more like a Board of Directors.

If you read Section H of the Labor Party rules, you will see how Labor Councillors are compelled to caucus and report to higher up the ladder, but worse, it clearly says that while Council is important, they must not get in the way of important State or Federal matters.

We are just as opposed to the ridiculous idea of a wind farm off our coastline and we would use all our influence to tell the Federal Government to rethink the idea, including the result of this election.

It is not a good idea to put billions of tonnes of carbon into the air every year.

However, humans have been here for 300,000 years but the industrial age that has created all the carbon gases has only been the last 300 years.

We must reverse this trend and stop it, but it can’t be done overnight without incredible economic damage.

Hydrogen is the most common element in the known universe.

Instead of wasting millions on horrible, ugly and inefficient wind farms, put the funds into incentives to develop energy.”