It was a noble idea from Mayor George Greiss, and it’s disappointing that the candidate forum will not be part of the 2024 council election in Campbelltown.
However, it’s worth noting that promotion of the forum has sparked plenty of debate among the public, as well as the candidates.
The South West Voice would like to thank readers who sent in questions, either directly or to the council staff who were involved in organising the forum with us.
Pre-poll voting is now under way, but there’s still a few days before the main election day, this Saturday, September 14.
With that in mind, we have decided to publish some of the questions that were in the mix to be asked if the forum went ahead.
The format meant all questions would have gone into a hat and drawn out one by one, as would have been the candidates’ names to determine the order.
As part of our regular feature, Top 5, here are five of our favourite questions that may have been asked at the forum. Please note that the numbering is purely to satisfy the format of this regular column and is not indicative of the importance of the questions.
Number 1. Would you support council doing more for our senior citizens, including extra funding for the annual seniors festival, consulting with seniors and disability organisations for things like park improvements and high rise residential developments and the provision of public transport in new aged care developments? Currently there is no bus service to Campbelltown Private Hospital and Mt Gilead Retirement Village.
Number 2. Campbelltown’s young people get a bad wrap in the media. If you are elected, what will you do to support the success of young people in Campbelltown?
Number 3. What is your vision for the Campbelltown CBD in five years and how would you deal with the acute shortage of affordable housing in the Campbelltown LGA?
Number 4. Do you agree that it should be a top priority for council to make sure Campbelltown looks its best, from the main entrances to the city to the footpaths, nature strips and parks?
Number 5. Would you support council asking the State Government to buy the Panjo building (pictured above) and land along old Campbelltown Road at Woodbine and develop it for housing? [Panjo is the greenish building next to the Hermitage motel/restaurant and was never finished, becoming an eyesore after being vandalised]. Do you have a better idea?
So sad the forum didn’t happen. Seeing people speak and personally meeting them helps us to vote wisely.