Surf Coast Shire election 2024: Winchelsea candidate survey

Find out about this year’s candidates.

Picture: Alan Barber

Adrian Schonfelder

Age: 49

Occupation: Small business operator and Primary producer

Do you live in the ward? Affirmative

Are you or have you ever been a member of a political party?If so, which one(s)? Liberal and Labor parties.

What are the three key issues you are campaigning on? “Rate caps, lowering rates particularly for farmers and maintaining pensioner rebate. Increasing funding for maintenance of sealed and unsealed roads. Maintaining small town character”

Should council only focus on the three Rs - roads, rates and rubbish? Council provides many needed services such as libraries and planning mandated by the Local Government Act. More money should be spent on better roads and footpaths.

Do you believe Australia Day should remain on January 26? Australia Day should be the last Friday of January and I am a former member of the Geelong and District Australia Day committee.

Do you think we are currently facing a climate emergency? I grew up surrounded by dairy farms which no longer exist and the climate has changed and all people need to be more environmentally friendly.

Joel Grist

Winchelsea candidate Joel Grist

Age: 51

Occupation: Chiropractor

Do you live in the ward? Yes

Are you or have you ever been a member of a political party?If so, which one(s)? Libertarian Party

What are the three key issues you are campaigning on? Reducing rates by reducing waste expenditure. Better maintenance of roads, paths, drainage, and building assets. Focus local governance on local issues.

Should council only focus on the three Rs - roads, rates and rubbish? Yes council should aim to achieve excellence in its core remit.

Do you believe Australia Day should remain on January 26? Yes.

Do you think we are currently facing a climate emergency? No. The environmental movement has been hijacked for political and financial gain.

Rose Hodge

Winchelsea candidate Rose Hodge

Age: 64

Occupation: Carer

Do you live in the ward? Yes

Are you or have you ever been a member of a political party? If so, which one(s)? ALP

What are the three key issues you are campaigning on? Diligently support community groups and individuals, good core service delivery with financial management, completion of long awaited capital works. Being hard working and reliable.

Should council only focus on the three Rs - roads, rates and rubbish? Council is so much more than that simple byline. Councils provide so many services and needs to be responsive to community needs and wants. Maternal health, libraries, health inspections to name some.

Do you believe Australia Day should remain on January 26? Year after year the debate continues, an informed and respective discussion needs to occur, If people want to celebrate that date they can, but many may reflect the sadness that represents.

Do you think we are currently facing a climate emergency? Yes and Surf Coast Shire declared a Climate Emergency in 2019, we have word on many environmental policies to improve what Council does. Think globally and act locally. We can set good examples.

Aleisja Henry

Winchelsea candidate Aleisja Henry

Age: 39

Occupation: Senior Policy Officer, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water

Do you live in the ward? Yes

Are you or have you ever been a member of a political party? If so, which one(s)? Australian Greens

What are the three key issues you are campaigning on? [1] affordable and sustainable housing; [2] expanding essential local services that alleviate cost-of-living pressures; [3] protecting our environment and unique natural areas.

Should council only focus on the three Rs - roads, rates and rubbish? Council services extend beyond the 3 Rs. These only form part of what is required for local regions to thrive and be sustainable.

Do you believe Australia Day should remain on January 26? No. As part of the First Nations Reconciliation process, the date should be changed.

Do you think we are currently facing a climate emergency? Yes. There is insurmountable scientific evidence to validate the climate emergency and united concern and recognition of its global impacts.

Tony Phelps

Age: 59

Occupation: Website Marketing

Do you live in the ward? Yes, outskirts of Winchelsea.

Are you or have you ever been a member of a political party? If so, which one(s)? No, never.

What are the three key issues you are campaigning on? Responsive road maintenance for smoother safer travel. Proactive community asset maintenance for long-term use. Promoting and supporting community events, connections and social interaction.

Should council only focus on the three Rs - roads, rates and rubbish? Councils have been responsible for far more than roads/rates/rubbish for a very long time... local government is about local communities and their amenities.

Do you believe Australia Day should remain on January 26? Australia Day should be the last Friday of January, for a long weekend not tied to any specific date. Better all round.

Do you think we are currently facing a climate emergency? “Emergency” is too strong. Humanity is changing environment for the worse, yet clever people are coming up with clever solutions. Let’s encourage them.

Darryl Wilson

Age: 66

Occupation: Skip Bin Hire

Do you live in the ward? Yes

Are you or have you ever been a member of a political party? If so, which one(s)? No

What are the three key issues you are campaigning on?

Should council only focus on the three Rs - roads, rates and rubbish?

Do you believe Australia Day should remain on January 26?

Do you think we are currently facing a climate emergency?

Originally published as Surf Coast Shire election 2024: Winchelsea candidate survey