Ron Bauer, Island Ward Where do you live?
Cowes Phillip Island.
How long have you lived in Bass Coast?
I have owned my house 1981 in Cowes Phillip Island and since 2013 have been making the seachange as I transition into retirement.
What is your previous community involvement (voluntary work or membership), either in Bass Coast or another area?,
Member of Island Voice (2019-20) which is where all Island interest groups meet to advocate to Bass Coast Council.
Cowes Phillip Island.
How long have you lived in Bass Coast?
I have owned my house 1981 in Cowes Phillip Island and since 2013 have been making the seachange as I transition into retirement.
What is your previous community involvement (voluntary work or membership), either in Bass Coast or another area?,
Member of Island Voice (2019-20) which is where all Island interest groups meet to advocate to Bass Coast Council.
Member of the Bass Coast Rate payers Association. (2019-20) The Phillip Island dog Owners Association, Cowes West action group and Save our Beaches
I have been the President of Australian Sex Party/Reason in (2017-2018). I was heavily involved with issues like Dying with Dignity, the establishment of the supervised injecting room in Richmond and the same sex marriage plebiscite.
In my professional life, I have been president and chairman (1990-2009) of the Gemmological Association of Australia. (honourary life member), Jewellers Association of Australia board (2009 to present), and the representative for Australia to the World Jewellery Congress. (2009-present). I am also on the state committee of the National Council of Jewellery Valuers. (2010 to present).
Have you stood for election before in local, state or federal government?
Yes 2016 State election (independent) the Seat of Bass on a platform of Island issues.
Do you belong to a political party?
No
Name the five local issues that you consider most important and explain how you think the council should tackle them.
Issue 1: Rates, Roads and Rubbish
Our rates are too high and must be looked at to see ways to reduce them especially in these Covid times. The rubbish collection fee must be absorbed into the rates and not be an additional charge to ratepayers. Our roads need repairing and the speed limits have to be reduced for safety and offset roadkill. The red bin has to be collected weekly in the summer months. The rubbish collection fee must be absorbed into the rates. Community interaction with the council has to improve. I have lost count how many times I have heard the Council is not transparent or accountable to the ratepayers. Alter the Governance rules of the Council to allow better engagement to the Council process through question time. Ensure that we get better and meaningful answers to the questions asked. We have to ensure that debacles like the Car Ferry business plan and the timeline process of the Cultural Centre don’t happen again.
Issue 2: The climate emergency and erosion.
We need effective erosion measures not just band aid measures like in Inverloch. In my ward from East Cowes to Red Rocks the beach is steadily being washed away.. I support the Climate Emergency passed by the Council last year. We need to become carbon neutral. We need a solar farm and more use of batteries. We should encourage every household to have solar panels and a bank of batteries.
Issue 3: Ecotourism.
Phillip Island is much more than the penguins and the GP. Build an interconnecting safely light network of bicycle paths and walking trails. Build the aquatic centre and the sports hub on the carnival site corner. Develop the regional skate park. Build better facilities for our surfing community. Install the proposed temporary ice rink and create the Phillip Island Ice Hocky club. Maintain well managed off leash dog runs. Support events and programs during the off season making use of the new cultural centre in Cowes.
Issue 4 Maintain the town boundaries.
I will not support any expansion to the existing town boundaries. The beauty of Phillip Island is the ambiance of the farms and the hamlets. There is so much development and construction on the island at this time and it is very important that every planning permit is assessed for its suitability and functionality.
Issue 5 Live local, buy local.
We must support our traders as much as we can. There are many forms of relief packages that can be responsibly brought in by Council at this time. There are many urgent capital work programs which need to be prioritised and put into the budget and begun. The building of the cultural centre, The aquatic centre, the regional skate park at the sports hub on the carnival site and the construction of the bike paths just to name a few. Phillip Island relies on tourists. Businesses have been brought to their knees by Covid 19. It will probably be another year before interstate and international tourists return. Council has a moral responsibility to help businesses.
I have been the President of Australian Sex Party/Reason in (2017-2018). I was heavily involved with issues like Dying with Dignity, the establishment of the supervised injecting room in Richmond and the same sex marriage plebiscite.
In my professional life, I have been president and chairman (1990-2009) of the Gemmological Association of Australia. (honourary life member), Jewellers Association of Australia board (2009 to present), and the representative for Australia to the World Jewellery Congress. (2009-present). I am also on the state committee of the National Council of Jewellery Valuers. (2010 to present).
Have you stood for election before in local, state or federal government?
Yes 2016 State election (independent) the Seat of Bass on a platform of Island issues.
Do you belong to a political party?
No
Name the five local issues that you consider most important and explain how you think the council should tackle them.
Issue 1: Rates, Roads and Rubbish
Our rates are too high and must be looked at to see ways to reduce them especially in these Covid times. The rubbish collection fee must be absorbed into the rates and not be an additional charge to ratepayers. Our roads need repairing and the speed limits have to be reduced for safety and offset roadkill. The red bin has to be collected weekly in the summer months. The rubbish collection fee must be absorbed into the rates. Community interaction with the council has to improve. I have lost count how many times I have heard the Council is not transparent or accountable to the ratepayers. Alter the Governance rules of the Council to allow better engagement to the Council process through question time. Ensure that we get better and meaningful answers to the questions asked. We have to ensure that debacles like the Car Ferry business plan and the timeline process of the Cultural Centre don’t happen again.
Issue 2: The climate emergency and erosion.
We need effective erosion measures not just band aid measures like in Inverloch. In my ward from East Cowes to Red Rocks the beach is steadily being washed away.. I support the Climate Emergency passed by the Council last year. We need to become carbon neutral. We need a solar farm and more use of batteries. We should encourage every household to have solar panels and a bank of batteries.
Issue 3: Ecotourism.
Phillip Island is much more than the penguins and the GP. Build an interconnecting safely light network of bicycle paths and walking trails. Build the aquatic centre and the sports hub on the carnival site corner. Develop the regional skate park. Build better facilities for our surfing community. Install the proposed temporary ice rink and create the Phillip Island Ice Hocky club. Maintain well managed off leash dog runs. Support events and programs during the off season making use of the new cultural centre in Cowes.
Issue 4 Maintain the town boundaries.
I will not support any expansion to the existing town boundaries. The beauty of Phillip Island is the ambiance of the farms and the hamlets. There is so much development and construction on the island at this time and it is very important that every planning permit is assessed for its suitability and functionality.
Issue 5 Live local, buy local.
We must support our traders as much as we can. There are many forms of relief packages that can be responsibly brought in by Council at this time. There are many urgent capital work programs which need to be prioritised and put into the budget and begun. The building of the cultural centre, The aquatic centre, the regional skate park at the sports hub on the carnival site and the construction of the bike paths just to name a few. Phillip Island relies on tourists. Businesses have been brought to their knees by Covid 19. It will probably be another year before interstate and international tourists return. Council has a moral responsibility to help businesses.