IF you have not voted in the local government election you need to complete your postal voting election package and get it to the returning officer before 6pm on Saturday, October 19.
Here is some information about the six North Coast ward candidates.
Clarkson resident Azeem Shah said anti-social behavior and vandalism and homelessness around community facilities were issues which had been raised with him.
Mr Shah said he used to be a member of the Labor Party and ran for the state seat of Morley in 1998.
After that he left the party and has remained an Independent since then.
He born in Perth and has worked in the hospitality industry for the past three decades.
A Justice of the Peace he is passionate about the City of Wanneroo and what it has to offer for both residents and visitors.
Quinns Rock resident Cr Russell Driver says as a father he is passionate about building a community for children and the future.
He believes schools, sports facilities and infrastructure need to develop with the city’s population growth.
“Being a local family man with three children my drive is to deliver an environment for our children and create the building blocks for a community,’’ he said.
“As your North Coast ward councillor I have been involved with many projects which have come to fruition over the past eight years.
“There is nothing more rewarding than giving back to the community and helping deliver community assets that will serve our community for decades to come.
“The North Coast ward is one of the fastest growing populations in Australia and to keep up with the growth delivering schools, sports facilities and infrastructure is paramount.’’
Cr Driver did not respond to questions from Yanchep News Online about whether he is a member of a political party, his business interests or what issues people have raised with him during the campaign.
Yanchep resident Chris Baker has worked as a lawyer and served on the Port Hedland and Joondalup councils as well as been a member of State Parliament.
Mr Baker is still or has been a patron and honorary solicitor for many local sporting, charitable, cultural and seniors groups in Wanneroo and Joondalup.
He enjoys hard work and is particularly keen for the City of Wanneroo to keep rate increases to a bare minimum, help small business create jobs, “beef up” the council’s buy local policy, have better governance, provide help for first home owners, waive council fees for junior sports, provide fee and rate relief for seniors, plant more shade trees in parks and on verges as well as protect the bushland and coastline.
“I’ll be your strong, experienced and fulltime voice on council, to get more things done,’’ he said.
Mr Baker said the biggest issue raised with him was young families asking whether the council could do more to help create more local jobs even if they were part time working around school hours.
Mr Baker was a councillor at the City of Joondalup at a time when according to the Inquiry into the City of Joondalup 2005 report by Greg McIntyre the council as a group failed to provide good government because it failed in some instances to make ethically sound decisions.
Mr McIntyre said in a number of instances some councillors appeared to have pursued complaints of breaches of the code of conduct or the LGA in order to embarrass the individual whose conduct was complained of.
Mr McIntyre also said there was no evidence put before him that Mr Baker’s membership or participation in the affairs of a political party had any impact upon the decisions he made as a councillor of the City of Joondalup.
Mr Baker said he was still a member of the Liberal Party and has been for many years.
Quinns Rocks resident Cr Nat Sangalli said people mentioned rates with her often during the campaign.
Cr Sangalli said some people said they thought they were getting a good deal with what they got for their rates.
Others wanted rates to be kept low and some did not understand that the gross rental value (GRV) was set by Landgate not the City of Wanneroo.
Another misunderstanding was the emergency services levy was collected by local governments but was a state government charge while some people also incorrectly thought the waste charge had increased.
She said the city had kept it’s rate increase to 1.8 per cent this year.
Her passions are community, heritage and environmental preservation – especially coastal erosion management and community safety initiatives.
She said she was not a member of any political party and would always seek to listen to residents feedback.
With a background in small business management she said keeping rates to an absolute minimum and exploring diverse business and tourism opportunities was key to creating more local based employment.
Timely delivery of community and sporting facilities is also a priority.
Landgate said it determined the GRV with each rating authority then setting its own rate in the dollar to be charged.
“The rate in the dollar is multiplied by the GRV, with the council adding any levies (e.g. rubbish collection) to calculate the total of rates payable.’’
Yanchep resident Matthew Bettinaglio says no one has issue stood out while he has been campaigning and that everyone seems to be extremely varied in what they care about.
Mr Bettinaglio said one of his main reasons for running was to stand up for the big group of people who believed in appropriate and sensitive development of the coastline that had not been represented on the council before.
He said he has never been a member of a political party.
He has lived in Wanneroo most of his life and is passionate about its northern coastal areas.
A small business owner and filmmaker he has volunteered on the Yanchep Lagoon master plan and skate park planning and opposed unpopular development.
He wants to help local businesses and entrepreneurs thrive.
While the North Coast ward is still creating its sense of identity he wants to see it become a thriving hub of creativity, innovation and most of all a community which celebrates its coastal lifestyle.
Two Rocks resident Godwin Fernson says climate change and sporting facilities are among the issues raised with him.
Mr Ferson said he was surprised that nobody raised the lack of enough emergency medical treatment facilities.
He said his varied life experience was something he could contribute to local government.
His experience includes the perspective of a structural engineer who has worked with federal government and private consultants and dealing with local government while working for himself as a property developer and builder.
A City of Wanneroo resident for about a year he said he has always been actively involved in community activities and associations including Neighbourhood Watch, Knights of the Southern Cross and Freemason.
A City of Wanneroo resident for about a year he was born in India but has previously lived in Melbourne and Canberra.
He studied engineering and worked in Bombay (now Mumbai) for four years before migrating to Melbourne in 1974.
He said he was not a member of any political party.
