Bruce Kent, Western Port Ward Where do you live?
Our home is in San Remo. We completed the building of our new home in September last year.
How long have you lived in Bass Coast?
I started a new career in San Remo in early 2000. Prior to this we had holiday homes in Surf Beach and Cowes. We also had a rented a property in Rhyll whilst building. My history with The Island goes back to my late teens when I use to holiday at Silverleaves most holidays.
What is your previous community involvement (voluntary work or membership), either in Bass Coast or another area?
With my career as a police officer, I have been very fortunate to be involved in many community groups such as Lifesaving Victoria, Mental Health, Sporting Clubs, Vietnam Vets, Neighbourhood Watch, Rock Fishing communities, CFA, Trader Associations to name a few.
I am now a member of the Wonthaggi Rotary.
Our home is in San Remo. We completed the building of our new home in September last year.
How long have you lived in Bass Coast?
I started a new career in San Remo in early 2000. Prior to this we had holiday homes in Surf Beach and Cowes. We also had a rented a property in Rhyll whilst building. My history with The Island goes back to my late teens when I use to holiday at Silverleaves most holidays.
What is your previous community involvement (voluntary work or membership), either in Bass Coast or another area?
With my career as a police officer, I have been very fortunate to be involved in many community groups such as Lifesaving Victoria, Mental Health, Sporting Clubs, Vietnam Vets, Neighbourhood Watch, Rock Fishing communities, CFA, Trader Associations to name a few.
I am now a member of the Wonthaggi Rotary.
With a family of 4 kids I have been involved as a soccer coach, volunteer at junior football club and committee member for Boy Scouts.
Have you stood for election before in local, state or federal government?
Yes, elected in 2016 as Western Port Councillor.
Do you belong to a political party?
I personally don’t wish to answer this as I see voting preference as a private matter and have never asked any person how they vote as it is a right. I would not like to see any state or federal politics bought into local government. I am not sponsored by any party and due to my career; I am not allowed to receive any gift of any type that would assist me in my election process.
Name the five local issues that you consider most important and explain how you think the council should tackle them.
Issue 1: COVID recovery
With our current Covid circumstances, the council needs to be assisting in any way possible to assist our residents and businesses. I am not going to tell a business owner how to run his business and what he needs to implement to recover. The council should have a process where we can hear from our private employers and assist in a way that is beneficial to the whole community. This may include, but not limited to financial funding, advocating other levels of government, fee reduction and moral support.
For a period of time, the council must look at extra assistance for our community, especially the vulnerable. We are in this together but some are hurting more than others. State and Federal grants to the community will drop off. We must be there to pick up the people who have not regained employment, have mental health issues, kids with education disruption and address the hardship issues of individuals. This will involve council officers doing more hands on welfare contacts and designing a system that is easily accessible and friendly to our community to utilise. As councillors, we will have to hold the council responsible for implementing this strategy. I have seen the success of strong advocating to other levels of government, which again will have to take place to achieve a satisfactory outcome for the whole of our community.
Issue 2: Rate reform
We must get value for our rates which we are paying. I believe that our rates are more expensive than eastern metro Melbourne. I have a beautiful property and the rates are in excess of $4000 (It does hurt). Approximately fifty percent of our ratepayers are not permanent residents. I understand the process that works out our payments but it is a common complaint from ratepayers. I also understand that that the council budget is very meagre when compared to a metro council. I believe that we need to be even more transparent with our explanation of our rate policy and process. We need to be even more accountable for the process of spending our budget, the explanation to our community of where it is spent and that it is shown to be benefiting Bass Coast.
We need to advocate to the State and Federal Government that we will not be treated like second rate residents. What is fair for metro is also fair for regional. The council employees a huge workforce and should be congratulated for that. With that goes the responsibility of value for dollar. The council should be held accountable for good work processes such as direct starts, car sharing and variable work hours.
Issue 3: Environmental sustainability
The world to me appears to be dying. It is screaming to us that we better do something to fix our environmental issues or it will get rid of us. We have all experience the fires and the environmental erosion of our coastline from Inverloch, on the Island and then along the Waterline Communities to Jam Jerrup.
I am not an expert in this field but I do listen to the experts. I try to lead by example having solar power, solar hot water, mulching and composting my household waste, and recycling of storm water. I understand that not every resident can afford this and this is why the council must have incentives for residents to go down this path. We already have planning regulations for new properties but these could be tightened up to produce a more environmentally friendly residence. We should have planning rules which addresses the need to replace any heating device or hot water device with an environmentally friendly unit when the current unit needs replacing. The council has gone 100 percent renewable electricity. We should be advocating this for our community to take up and at a discounted rate. We should also be advocating to our State and Federal Governments to look at fully renewable power and to address our coastline issues.
It is absolutely ridiculous that Tasmania is looking at going to fully renewable power within a couple of years and we can’t.
Issue 4 Roads, Footpaths and Garbage
Some ratepayers state that council should just look after Roads, Footpaths and Garbage. I don’t agree with this attitude but I do believe that council should address these issues with high diligence.
Our garbage collection appears expensive but we do have a small population spread over an expansive area. We can do better including looking at our own commercial recycling premises or advocating for private investment. We have achieved a huge amount of land fill be diverted to recycling but we still need to tweak the collection process.
I have a paved road and footpath out the front of my property. I paid for this when I purchased my land. The developer just didn’t pay for the construction and not recover the cost. We have so many townships with unpaved roads. Those residents who already have paid for their roads through the purchase of their property or the contribution to construction would not like to make further payments for other resident’s road construction.
Council needs to push forward with the fast construction of our road network, at the same time advocating for government assistance to bring us out of the dusty back blocks. If it is good enough to have one of the most popular tourist destinations then it is time that its permanent residents also experience the benefits of healthy dust free environment which is also safe to walk in.
Issue 5 Road network and public transport
I believe that there is a lot of work to be achieved in advocating changes to our road network which is controlled by State Government. You could start at Grantville which needs a shared footway to Corinella Road. Shetland Heights Road and Potters Hill Road, San Remo where we will probably end up with a new school, there is talk of only part funding for paving and footway.
Planning for Phillip Island Rd, San Remo upgrade is well ahead with planning but appears to have a long time line before construction would start. Phillip Island Rd, Newhaven upgrade has many residents in disagreement as to the direction this planning is taking. There is also a plan for Surf Beach upgrade which has some dissention within the community.
The council needs to make sure that the community is heard by these government planning agencies. We must strongly advocate on their behalf and make sure that the council is heard and taken seriously.
Bass Coast has reached its peak ability in carry road traffic. We must be advocating for better public transport, alternative forms of transport and the support for our community to be provided a safer and healthier environment.
Have you stood for election before in local, state or federal government?
Yes, elected in 2016 as Western Port Councillor.
Do you belong to a political party?
I personally don’t wish to answer this as I see voting preference as a private matter and have never asked any person how they vote as it is a right. I would not like to see any state or federal politics bought into local government. I am not sponsored by any party and due to my career; I am not allowed to receive any gift of any type that would assist me in my election process.
Name the five local issues that you consider most important and explain how you think the council should tackle them.
Issue 1: COVID recovery
With our current Covid circumstances, the council needs to be assisting in any way possible to assist our residents and businesses. I am not going to tell a business owner how to run his business and what he needs to implement to recover. The council should have a process where we can hear from our private employers and assist in a way that is beneficial to the whole community. This may include, but not limited to financial funding, advocating other levels of government, fee reduction and moral support.
For a period of time, the council must look at extra assistance for our community, especially the vulnerable. We are in this together but some are hurting more than others. State and Federal grants to the community will drop off. We must be there to pick up the people who have not regained employment, have mental health issues, kids with education disruption and address the hardship issues of individuals. This will involve council officers doing more hands on welfare contacts and designing a system that is easily accessible and friendly to our community to utilise. As councillors, we will have to hold the council responsible for implementing this strategy. I have seen the success of strong advocating to other levels of government, which again will have to take place to achieve a satisfactory outcome for the whole of our community.
Issue 2: Rate reform
We must get value for our rates which we are paying. I believe that our rates are more expensive than eastern metro Melbourne. I have a beautiful property and the rates are in excess of $4000 (It does hurt). Approximately fifty percent of our ratepayers are not permanent residents. I understand the process that works out our payments but it is a common complaint from ratepayers. I also understand that that the council budget is very meagre when compared to a metro council. I believe that we need to be even more transparent with our explanation of our rate policy and process. We need to be even more accountable for the process of spending our budget, the explanation to our community of where it is spent and that it is shown to be benefiting Bass Coast.
We need to advocate to the State and Federal Government that we will not be treated like second rate residents. What is fair for metro is also fair for regional. The council employees a huge workforce and should be congratulated for that. With that goes the responsibility of value for dollar. The council should be held accountable for good work processes such as direct starts, car sharing and variable work hours.
Issue 3: Environmental sustainability
The world to me appears to be dying. It is screaming to us that we better do something to fix our environmental issues or it will get rid of us. We have all experience the fires and the environmental erosion of our coastline from Inverloch, on the Island and then along the Waterline Communities to Jam Jerrup.
I am not an expert in this field but I do listen to the experts. I try to lead by example having solar power, solar hot water, mulching and composting my household waste, and recycling of storm water. I understand that not every resident can afford this and this is why the council must have incentives for residents to go down this path. We already have planning regulations for new properties but these could be tightened up to produce a more environmentally friendly residence. We should have planning rules which addresses the need to replace any heating device or hot water device with an environmentally friendly unit when the current unit needs replacing. The council has gone 100 percent renewable electricity. We should be advocating this for our community to take up and at a discounted rate. We should also be advocating to our State and Federal Governments to look at fully renewable power and to address our coastline issues.
It is absolutely ridiculous that Tasmania is looking at going to fully renewable power within a couple of years and we can’t.
Issue 4 Roads, Footpaths and Garbage
Some ratepayers state that council should just look after Roads, Footpaths and Garbage. I don’t agree with this attitude but I do believe that council should address these issues with high diligence.
Our garbage collection appears expensive but we do have a small population spread over an expansive area. We can do better including looking at our own commercial recycling premises or advocating for private investment. We have achieved a huge amount of land fill be diverted to recycling but we still need to tweak the collection process.
I have a paved road and footpath out the front of my property. I paid for this when I purchased my land. The developer just didn’t pay for the construction and not recover the cost. We have so many townships with unpaved roads. Those residents who already have paid for their roads through the purchase of their property or the contribution to construction would not like to make further payments for other resident’s road construction.
Council needs to push forward with the fast construction of our road network, at the same time advocating for government assistance to bring us out of the dusty back blocks. If it is good enough to have one of the most popular tourist destinations then it is time that its permanent residents also experience the benefits of healthy dust free environment which is also safe to walk in.
Issue 5 Road network and public transport
I believe that there is a lot of work to be achieved in advocating changes to our road network which is controlled by State Government. You could start at Grantville which needs a shared footway to Corinella Road. Shetland Heights Road and Potters Hill Road, San Remo where we will probably end up with a new school, there is talk of only part funding for paving and footway.
Planning for Phillip Island Rd, San Remo upgrade is well ahead with planning but appears to have a long time line before construction would start. Phillip Island Rd, Newhaven upgrade has many residents in disagreement as to the direction this planning is taking. There is also a plan for Surf Beach upgrade which has some dissention within the community.
The council needs to make sure that the community is heard by these government planning agencies. We must strongly advocate on their behalf and make sure that the council is heard and taken seriously.
Bass Coast has reached its peak ability in carry road traffic. We must be advocating for better public transport, alternative forms of transport and the support for our community to be provided a safer and healthier environment.