1 Candidate details
Name: Vanessa Grindon-Ekins
Council: Lismore City
Town/city: Lismore
Number of years in shire/LGA: 19
Current councillor? Yes. If yes, how many years?: 8
Clubs/sports/interests: landcare, swimming
Are you a member of a political party or an organised ‘ticket’? Yes
If yes, which party or who else is on your ticket?: Northern Rivers Greens
Brief description: Vanessa is a qualified science teacher and landcarer who wants habitat corridors in rural and urban Lismore. Vanessa wants Rous Water to adequately fund rain tanks instead of Dunoon dam and desalination.
2 What has motivated you to stand?
Protection of residential amenity against inappropriate industrial development and concern about loss of Big Scrub habitat and encroachment of rural residential development into farmland.
3 What is your vision for the shire/LGA?
Productive farmland supplying local markets. Villages with their own water, sewer and power infrastructure. Rainwater collection and solar panels on every roof. Cheap and regular public transport between Lismore, villages and the coast. Habitat corridors throughout the rural and urban areas
4 In your opinion, how can council best balance the need for further residential development with the need to preserve the local environment?
We need to prioritise infill medium-density development that is affordable, solar passive and addresses amenity, privacy and noise issues. We do not need more greenfield rural residential development encroaching into farmland.
5 What particular issues do you feel strongly about?
Construction of commuter cycle paths throughout Lismore urban area with connections to the villages.
Habitat corridors throughout rural and urban Lismore.
Limiting rural residential development. It is inefficient land use and car dependent. It costs the community more in infrastructure than it provides in rates.
