One is a bright eyed 18-year-old social justice campaigner, the other is a 45-year-old nurse and mother of three worried about Badgerys Creek Airport. But both are hungry to make changes in the Mountains and want your vote at the Blue Mountains City Council elections in September.
Sam Parker-Davies of Katoomba and Shae Foenander of Blaxland are two new faces who will contest the wards of 1 and 3 respectively.
Mr Parker-Davies is an ex-Korowal student and Lawson waiter who is standing on a campaign team with two others [Alexander Driscoll and Alison Eliss] as part of a group called Your Community.
“The name strongly represents our ethos. All our policies are 100 per cent created by the people, proposed by individuals then displayed publicly on our website www.yourcommunitybm.com.”
Mr Parker Davies said they had already started following up on five concerns - the environment, small business, the arts, council transparency and social justice. Some ideas included installing permaculture gardens on shop roofs, providing young people with jobs alternative to hospitality and investigating temporary housing for the homeless. The group is also concerned about “transparency around the ridiculously blown out council debt”.
His age should not be considered a deterrent to his success, he said.
“I am excited to bring the youthful energy the council is in dire need of. The solutions around small business we've discussed have been led by an ex-mayor, the environmental policy has been led by a resident of 80 years, and the social justice solutions have been created with members of the local homeless community.” He can be contacted at yourcommunitybm@gmail.com.
Meanwhile anti-airport campaigner, Shae Foenander, is contesting Ward 3 and, by running as an Independent, hopes to fill the void when popular Save Our Springwood candidate Brendan Luchetti finishes up.
“I’m genuinely concerned there’s a push from some quarters to support the airport,” she said. “In addition, I’m aware there’s a campaign from an organised pro-development group to water down the Local Environment Plan” which she said would lead to “the loss of character housing areas, increased flats and more medium density housing. Our quiet streets would not cope.”
Ms Foenander said she would be a loud and independent voice.
“I don’t belong to any political party. I am beholden to no vested interest. I am a nurse, a mother and an activist who cares about the quality of other peoples’ lives.”
She can be reached at caringforcommunity@gmail.com.
