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Local government plays a huge role in protecting and preserving the environment, and The City of Onkaparinga has a strong tradition of introducing positive measures and initiatives based on environmental and sustainability issues.
For that reason, a number of local environmental and community groups have contacted all the candidates standing for Mayor of Onkaparinga City, as well as those standing in the Southern Vales and South Coast Wards, to offer them the opportunity to introduce themselves to our collective membership, and to let us know where they stand on a number of key environmental issues in the City of Onkaparinga.
Each candidate was given the same ten questions to answer. Here are the responses of Marisa Bell, Candidate for Southern Vales Ward.
10 Questions Council Election
- Where do you live? What attracted you to where you live?
I moved to Kangarilla 26 years ago looking for a tree change. The Southern Adelaide Hills has so much to offer. Clean air, beautiful rolling hills, a supportive community providing a perfect life to raise children. It’s a short commute to the city and suburbs, close to the McLaren Vale wine region, Willunga and the rugged coast of the Fleurieu that I grew up appreciating. It’s where I could attempt to live a more sustainable life. Practice permaculture, grow my own food and enjoy fresh eggs. Determined to do anything I can to reduce our carbon foot print, I have revegetated what was a blank canvas and retrofit our home. After years of bushwalking and camping I was drawn to the area looking for somewhere that allowed me to feel like I was waking up every morning in a remote camping site.
- What’s your political background?
I am a member of the Australian Labor party. I have been a Labor party voter all my life after identifying at an early age that I shared Labor’s social equity and social justice values. I was inspired to join the party when Julia Gillard first became Prime Minister. I have been a long-time member of the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF SA Branch) and their former President. As a health professional working on the frontline, an intensive care nurse and nurse educator, I witness every day the pressures the system is increasingly under. I have represented, advocated and raised awareness on social justice issues in health on behalf of the broader community, nurses, midwives and carers at a local, State and Federal level for 35 years.
- To which community groups or associations do you belong?
Trees for Life, Kangarilla Landcare, Biodiversity McLaren Vale, Willunga Farmers Market. Labor Environment Action Network (LEAN), Emily’s List and Justice for Refugees S.A.
I am a former Kangarilla volunteer firefighter (15years service) and Cadet educator.
- If elected, what will be your priorities?
Represent, advocate, protect and be a voice for positive change for all of the community.
I’m focused on the health and wellbeing of the community. The progressing of public health policy and education and the promotion of preventative public health measures.
Addressing the mental health crisis, homelessness and poverty.
Almost half of all Australians have health conditions that are preventable. Providing community with primary health support and education and healthier environments can help prevent and protect the community from disease and injury.
Protecting and preparing our at risk and vulnerable population from the effects of heat from our warming climate and extreme heat temperature events to reduce hospital admissions of dehydration, skin burns, respiratory failure, heart failure and kidney failure.
Bushfire safety, planning and protection, preparing for the expected increased frequency of climate disasters. The intensity of summer bushfires that have immediate health impacts on our community including but not limited to smoke inhalation, exacerbation of asthma, and heart attacks for example.
The protection and preservation of our environmental biodiversity. The conservation and restoration of native tree canopies, our water ways, protecting our native flora, fauna but so too our agricultural and tourism industry.
Only by working together, with all levels of government, businesses, citizens and communities and by implement a wide range of actions will we limit global warming.
Providing increased employment opportunities for our young people, boosting local tourism, addressing transport infrastructure addressing the needs of a growing group of diverse, aged and disability residents, businesses and community groups.
Improved infrastructure, recreational community spaces and centres, improvement of our roads, road safety, public transport, pedestrian walking and riding trails.
- What are your policies regarding the environment and biodiversity?
Protect threatened species, preserve, promote, create and maintain our wildlife corridors, tree canopies, our water ways, rivers and creeks.
The consultation, promotion and protection of culturally significant indigenous sites.
We have a unique opportunity to strengthen weakened environment laws, seek grants, funding assistance and support from both recently elected State and Federal governments. Both governments have strong policies on the protecting the biodiversity of our environment and are committed to direct and meaningful action on climate change, the protection of threatened species, working with community groups to fix local water resources and water ways, restore precious habitat, create valuable recreational spaces for local communities.
- Do you think the City of Onkaparinga should re-visit declaring a Climate Emergency?
Yes absolutely
The climate crisis is a health crisis.
As a frontline worker I witness first-hand the impact our warming climate and frequent climate disasters have on the health and wellbeing of our community.
The world health Organisation has declared climate change as the biggest health threat facing humanity. Heatwaves, bushfires, floods and cyclones demand an immediate response. Mental health anguish and chronic health complications and displacement has already followed many of our disaster affected communities.
Local government, community, State and Federal governments working together, can help to achieve the goal of reduced emissions, action on climate change, mitigation and preparedness to combat fire danger and other emergencies.
- How can Council accelerate decarbonisation within the community?
The council can lead by example and declare a climate emergency.
Provide and promote further education workshops on recycling green waste, growing community gardens and promoting sustainability.
Promote cooling within community spaces by planting of trees for increased canopy where safe to do so. Educate and lead by example on the benefits of recycling, reusing building materials. Encourage use of cool or light-coloured roofs and walls, increased insulation, verandahs, eaves, shade and retrofitting of homes to cool and reduce energy costs. Consider changing building codes or laws to promote the reduction of energy cost in the home.
Promote community batteries, Solar panels, Solar hot water, green roofing and walls of buildings and fences, creation of wildlife green corridors, restore creeks and rivers, promote energy efficient lighting. Plan, anticipate and mitigate fire and climate emergencies. Consider and encourage installing community solar batteries. Provide electric vehicle (EV) stations and encourage the use of Hybrid and EV vehicles now and into the future.
- How would you make Onkaparinga a better place to live with less resource consumption?
Encourage and promote sustainable recycling of all kinds, including clothing, provide more recycling stations and incentives for recycling. Promote ethical disposal of waste and promote awareness of waste management issues. Promote benefits of retrofitting and reusing of building materials. Build more shared green cool spaces, collecting and conserving water, home, business and council composting, mulching, community gardens and green wildlife corridors, greater care of and benefits appropriate native tree planting for increased canopy, create and encourage rooftop or vertical gardens on wall and fences.
- How would you, as Mayor or Councillor, aim to influence Elected Members to be effective decision makers?
I’m not running for Mayor. However, if successfully elected as a councillor for the Southern Vales Ward, I would seek to work collaboratively and respectfully with all elected councillors, the elected Mayor, the staff and the CEO.
I would encourage frequent diverse community wide consultation, best practise research, business and other stakeholder consultation behind decision making.
- Do you have ideas for championing improvements in the energy efficiency and lower reduce carbon footprint of new and retrofit development, both domestic and commercial?
Encourage and create rooftop gardens, vertical gardens for walls and fences, installation of solar panels, solar hot water systems, recycling, reusing of building materials and shading of home windows on hot summer days. Encourage investing in home retrofitting, building of eaves, verandahs, roof top whirlybirds, cool or light-coloured exterior walls and roofs (not black) will significantly reduce energy costs and thus carbon footprint. Encourage mulching and composting, increase tree planting for cool canopy, restore rivers and water ways, increased sharing of green spaces and wildlife corridors.
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