Introduction: I’m Nick Packham and I have lived in Bathurst all of my life, 51years. I believe that I have the skills to provide responsible, progressive leadership to ensure that Bathurst develops into the future. I’m interested in transparent governance, responsible use of public funds and provision of good services to our citizens. I want to promote Bathurst as a great place to live, work, study, establish business and invest.
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Popularly-elected mayor: I would support a referendum to be conducted at the next council election as long as this did not result in a significant cost to Bathurst.
Water sale: I believe that all proposals and applications to council should be considered at the time of application. If elected to council I would consider all factors and make my decision based on what is best for Bathurst at that time.
Roundabout: I support the construction of a roundabout at the intersection of Mitre, Suttor and Lambert Streets as soon as possible. There are budget considerations however however I think this is a priority and would advocate for inclusion in the current budget if "black spot" funding was not made available.
Australia Day: I understand that there are mixed feelings in our community regarding January 26. I believe that this is a decision for our Federal Parliament and not for individual councils to ensure consistency. I would support a day which all Australians could celebrate that promotes inclusion and National pride.
TAFE building: The site is an unused asset that has sat for too long. I would like to see a plan developed to redevelop the existing building to achieve a revenue stream for the city. The plan could incorporate a mix of public space, office space, residential apartments or retail. It is too good an opportunity to just leave sit there.
Rates cap: I am conscious that many in our community struggle with increasing rate rises. I would not support rises above the IPART cap.
Christmas decorations: I would be supportive of any initiative that creates interest and increased revenue for our small business and retail sector during the Christmas period. This would create an opportunity to promote local business and attract people to Bathurst over this period.
CCTV: I’m supportive in principle however I would need to see what the cost of this is and how it could be incorporated into the budget.
Demolition by neglect: Council needs to work with property owners to combat neglect of heritage buildings. I don’t believe that punitive measures would be useful.
Attendance: Five
