Overview
We asked candidates for the Bayside Ward of Ivison some questions, hoping to learn about their level of support for our local native wildlife. Here are their answers.
We also have responses from other Wards.
In our opinion, the following candidates provided responses broadly supportive of our local native wildlife:
- Andrew Hockley
- Alysia Regan
The following candidates were sent the questions but did not respond:
- Sonia Castelli
- Brandon Hoult
- Liam Kruger
- James Long
The following candidates did not supply any contact details to the Victorian Electoral Commission:
- Lyn Austin
- Nicholas Batzialas
Please read the responses below for more detail about each candidate's level and type of support for native wildlife.
The Responses
Question 1
Does Bayside have any natural areas/places or flora or fauna that you particularly appreciate? Where are they? How and why do you appreciate them?
Andrew Hockley - I live in Highett and my home backs on to the Highett Grassy Woodland. That's the most special part of Bayside for me, even though the reserve is many years away from actually being completed and open to the public.
Alysia Regan - You can find me at Ricketts Point. I would like to acknowledge the traditional aboriginal owners and protectors of the area were the Bunurongs who numbered around 300 when Beaumaris and Black Rock were being developed by white settlers.
The marine animals, birds, and plant life, sandstone platforms and sea creatures, the list of items to appreciate with weekly wonderings is unique.
Question 2
What are the most important values/benefits of Bayside’s natural (as opposed to built) environment to the Bayside community?
Andrew Hockley - I'm going to say street trees, because although there are many important reserves and parklands in Bayside, canopy cover in our residential streets is the most immediate and relevant to the community every day. And it makes a significant contribution to reducing heat island effects.
Alysia Regan - Victoria’s unique indigenous biodiversity is valuable and must be protected. Bio diverse ecosystems and ecosystem processes sustain Earth’s life support systems including the climate system.
Question 3
What Bayside-wide environmental matters/issues are most important in your view?
Andrew Hockley - See the previous answer.
Alysia Regan - Bayside needs support programs to work with private landowners and community groups to protect, restore and conserve natural values on their land, including conservation covenants.
Bayside Council needs to develop and enforce recovery plans for threatened and endangered species and protection plans for ecological communities.
Question 4
What local Ward environmental matters are most important in your view?
Andrew Hockley - Street trees, again. And the importance of species selection in areas adjacent to parklands and reserves so that we create corridors of habitat to ensure the preservation of native birdlife, insects and fauna.
Alysia Regan - Highett has the lowest tree canopy cover of all Bayside suburbs. We need to cool our city by bolstering tree canopy. We need to make our neighbourhood green and liveable by creating and expanding our parks
Question 5
What do you think Council does well, environmentally?
Andrew Hockley - Bayside manages its native reserve open spaces well.
Alysia Regan - Highett Grassy Woodland masterplan. Creating a conservation reserve to protect endangered grassy woodland plains, and regenerate indigenous species and natural habitats. (In consultation with the community).
Question 6
In what respect(s) is Council lacking, environmentally?
Andrew Hockley - Continuing to allow the use of underground water reserves for golf courses is something that should be reviewed. These water reserves are fragile and irreplaceable, and while I have seen consultancy reports which suggest this is a sustainable practice, the cost of being wrong is catastrohic, especally now that water reticulation via the purple pipe is available in the South East of Melbourne, Bayside should look at the long term sustainability of golf course watering without reliance on local aquifers.
Alysia Regan - Lack of investment in Ivison Ward.
Question 7
What environmental issues/matters/challenges do you actively want to address, if any, as a Councillor? In what way?
Andrew Hockley - Street tree planting and maintenance in Ivison Ward.
Alysia Regan -
- Liaison and support for environmentally focused community groups to further identify areas of environmental concern.
- An increase in and enforcement of penalties for the killing or capture of state listed threatened and endangered species and damage to their habitat.
- Establishment of a comprehensive state-wide biodiversity framework with a funding mechanism aimed at reversing the ongoing degradation of existing biodiversity. This framework will give priority to protecting ecosystems, allowing our fauna and flora to evolve naturally.
Question 8
Is biodiversity important for Bayside? Why or why not?
Andrew Hockley - The protection of native species of flora and fauna is generally important. Yes.
Alysia Regan - Yes, biodiversity is essential to human survival, health and wealth.
Healthy and resilient ecological systems are essential for current and future generations and include our cities, agricultural and rural enterprises, rivers, grasslands, woodlands, forests, fauna and flora.
Question 9
Do you think Council should have a role in educating, engaging and empowering its residents to appreciate and actively care for the local environment?
Andrew Hockley - Yes, but not with communication campaigns, it should be tangible actions. Council should start by having a clear strategy for maximising tree planting on residential premises and ensuring that newly approved building designs include capacity fo deep plantings that provide canopy.
Alysia Regan - Yes, Resourcing of educational and research bodies to monitor the status of Victoria’s ecosystems to enable the introduction of programs to educate Victorians on the benefits of improved biodiversity.
Question 10
Will you work to progress the implementation of the Urban Forest Strategy and the Fresh Waterbodies Management Plans?
Andrew Hockley - I was the initiator of the petition to Council in early 2024 which pressed Bayside to actively prioritise Highett in the implementation of the Urban Forest Strategy because of its significantly lower canopy cover compared to the rest of the municipality. I have not reviewed the Fresh Waterbodies Management Plans, but see my comments in relation to the purple pipe above.
Alysia Regan - Yes, there should be a comprehensive, adequate and representative system of terrestrial, freshwater and marine protected areas (MPAs) including all remaining areas of high conservation value, managed primarily to protect biodiversity
Question 11
Do you support providing supplementary water for wildlife in Bayside's open spaces?
Andrew Hockley - I support the practice of returning a proportion of open space to natural wetland in places, such as Highett, where natural wetland previously existed and would not require the use of large quantities of potable water to create and sustain.
Alysia Regan - Yes.
Question 12
Will you work to ensure that the Bronzewings will be effectively protected at Wangara Road?
Andrew Hockley - I will review the scientific studies when I get a chance. I simply do not have enough information to know how to answer this question appropriately.
Alysia Regan - Yes and Cheltenham Park and Long Hollow Heathland should be included in this protection.
References
The following references were included with our questions.
Fresh Waterbodies Management Plans (formerly "Ornamental Lakes Management Plans") BCC Meeting Agenda, June 2024, https://www.bayside.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-06/18%20June%202024%20Council%20Meeting%20Agenda_2.pdf pp 627 - 782
Urban Forest Strategy https://www.bayside.vic.gov.au/urban-forest-strategy
Water for Wildlife https://www.bayfonw.org.au/projects/waterbowls https://www.bayside.vic.gov.au/news/water-wildlife
Wangara Road Masterplan https://yoursay.bayside.vic.gov.au/future-use-wangara-road-site
