Trees and canopy coverage are some of the most mentioned issues from locals while I’m out doorknocking - we want to see more trees in the ground, and we want to see more canopy providing shade across our suburbs.

It’s unfortunate that the City of Bayswater has gone backwards in our tree canopy coverage, and our targets have been pushed out to 2035 - but that means we need to work much harder and more collaboratively to reach our targets, and hold the City to account in the meantime with interim targets and close monitoring, and adjust our trajectory early to ensure we don’t push these targets out again.

I also want to see key pedestrian routes prioritised in greening efforts, where increased canopy can have the greatest impact for our communities. More trees where families are walking to school or work means we can encourage more active transport in our suburbs.

We have an incredibly active community who is deeply invested in making our suburbs greener for residents and wildlife alike - working with these groups where we can and developing shared resources will be the key to achieving our canopy objectives across the City.

I am supporting and advocating for initiatives that will help the City reach our 2035 target. That includes not just the planting of new trees, but the retaining of our healthy and mature trees across the City. I am also advocating for increased recognition of the value of heritage trees in our City, and championing greater protections for significant trees, such as adoption of the WALGA tree retention policy.

When it comes to our natural environment, what motivates me is leaving my daughter and future generations a local area that is welcoming and walkable with shaded footpaths, cooler suburbs and a diverse ecology for wildlife; it all begins with what actions we can take in our own little patch of the world.

We love living in the City of Bayswater community, with cafés, small shops and parks dotted around our suburbs - but there is always room to improve and do better.

I want to see quality parks and playgrounds for our families to enjoy, including well-designed and accessible play equipment for children of all abilities, and parks with a good balance of shade and facilities available. For example, the Riverside Gardens Playspace renewal is a fantastic opportunity to provide a phenomenal playground experience for locals and visitors to one of our City’s premiere parks - I’ll push for a playground worthy of this space, and one that is accessible for all children.

Our town centres are also home to some of our City’s small businesses and community organisations, some of which have been massively impacted by recent infrastructure works. We all want to see thriving town centres to create vibrancy and opportunities for these businesses, and I’ll work to promote these areas and support initiatives for community activation of these spaces and other areas.

I’m working with the City and with community groups to bring our local offerings and amenities to life, pushing for continued improvement to our City’s parks and playgrounds, and supporting initiatives to activate spaces and bring more foot traffic to our town centres.

From listening to locals on the doors and what matters to them, safer roads for pedestrians and safer neighbourhoods in the City of Bayswater consistently comes up as a high priority. They’re my priorities, too - here’s how I’ll address these concerns from West Ward locals and advocate for safe neighbourhoods for all.

We need to prioritise safety when traversing our suburbs, including measures to allow safe crossings on arterial roads. Unfortunately the community has seen the consequences of inaction; for the safety of our families and older people, safer crossings must be prioritised and advocated for in Council, to the City, and to other levels of government. I have heard the community loud and clear - they want action on this, and as a father of a young child, I want to make sure they can get to school and back safely each and every day.

I’ve been pleased to support the recent implementation of the 40 kilometre an hour zone in the Bayswater Residential Area around Bayswater Primary and St Columba’s, and support further measures including physical road design and enforcement measures to ensure that the new speed limit in this residential area is effective. With other community facilities in this area, it makes sense to make this area safer and more walkable for families. And from what I’ve been hearing from residents on the doors, these sorts of initiatives are what other West Ward residents want implemented in their own neighbourhoods.

Safe neighbourhoods also include safety in our town centres and shopping districts. Our neighbourhoods are becoming more and more connected for locals and visitors, and negative experiences with antisocial behaviour hurt local businesses and harm our reputation as a City safe for everyone. Speaking to those affected, they want to see a greater presence of our community safety patrols and implementation of CCTV cameras to deter antisocial behaviour, both measures I support and will push for in Council.

I’m advocating for safer roads and crossings in our neighbourhoods, especially in areas of high need where families are trying to access schools or public transport links. I’m also working with the local community to identify priority locations for increased safety measures, specifically in our town centres where local businesses need more to combat antisocial behaviour and for families who want to be safe in their own suburb.

Just about every family in the City of Bayswater accesses or uses our frontline City services or a City-supported community service - from our libraries and fitness centres, to our sporting clubs and family support services, to our outreach programs for older people and those in need.

Most of these services are, in some form, supported by the City through direct service provision, lease arrangements or financial support, and I know a lot of families like mine use them. They are so important to remain connected to one another in our community, and I am deeply passionate about seeing them protected.

A few months ago, a proposal was brought to Council to dispose of 2 Hudson Street in Bayswater, the home of two playgroups that were affordable and accessible to local families. If this City-owned building was sold to make way for developers, these two playgroups would have had no home to go to and local families would lose an essential service connecting parents, children and supporting health and wellbeing. I was proud to stand with the playgroups and the community in opposing this proposal, making a deputation to Council and promoting the petition which gained almost 300 signatures within a week.

While I am pleased that the Council listened to the concerns of the playgroups and the community and made the decision to not sell the building, I do not want to see other community services and local organisations that are in City-owned buildings face the same situation.

I will always stand up and protect our frontline City services for our community, and ensure they remain affordable and accessible for all. I am also standing up and advocating for our City-supported community-oriented services, such as our sporting clubs, family support and child care services, which most have lease arrangements for City-owned facilities.

Everybody deserves to be able to engage with the City of Bayswater, and to feel safe and take part in their community without fear of persecution or discrimination due to background or personal circumstances.

We have such a rich and diverse City, with families of all sizes and needs living in our neighbourhoods. Almost 36 per cent of our households have children, and by 2031 older people over the age of 65 will make up more than 20 per cent of our City. Around 31 per cent of people in the City live with long-term health conditions, and just over 5 per cent of people with disability in our community. Up to 11 per cent identify with diverse sexual orientation, sex or gender identity, and our top languages spoken at home other than English are Vietnamese, Mandarin, Italian, Cantonese and Filipino/Tagalog.

With how diverse our neighbourhoods are, it is so important to me that everybody can be engaged in the City of Bayswater as their local government, and that City services are accessible and available to all where possible.

I’m ensuring that all City residents, no matter their background, needs or circumstances, can be engaged in the City of Bayswater, and I’m advocating for and promoting inclusion and equity in all facets of the City and its services offerings. This also includes supporting and promoting community-led events that meet these objectives.

• Advocating for budget priorities that reflect the values of our community.

• Easing the cost of living burden on household budgets as much as possible.