Sam Wainwright: What I Stand For
Community Activist, Socialist, Unionist
Local community activist, socialist, wharfie and unionist Sam Wainwright is standing for the Socialist Alliance in Fremantle Council's Hilton ward in October.
Download Sam's whole election flyer here.
For more information about Sam's campaign, visit his campaign blog http://samforhilton.blogspot.com, or or contact Sam on 0412 751 508.
Reconnect Samson with Fremantle City
Stock Road cuts Samson off from the rest of Fremantle, discouraging pedestrian and bicycle traffic between Hilton and Samson. We need an underpass or over-bridge across Stock Road to connect the two suburbs. We also need to campaign for better Transperth services to Samson.
Maintaining our beaches, parks and green spaces for everyone
As we build more medium and high density housing we need to maintain and even expand access to parks and other recreational space. This is why I’ve joined the campaigns against the various attempts by some developers to build on and privatise our coastline. The beaches belong to everyone.
Value older and long term residents - Rates based on ability to pay, not just house value
As property values have increased so have peoples rates. This puts an unfair burden onto pensioners, retirees and other people on modest fixed incomes who own their own homes. Like income tax, rates should be calculated on people’s capacity to pay. Let’s value older residents by making sure that fees and charges don’t price them out living in our community.
Council Democracy and Services Provision
We need to bring back all council services into council hands and stop further outsourcing to protect working conditions and services; and so residents have a say over how services are delivered.
Samson Shops
The lack of shops and community facilities in Samson has gone on too long. It’s ridiculous that people need to drive or cross busy roads to buy milk and bread. The council needs to step in and take ownership of the project.
Make Fremantle a fight climate change council
All levels of government - including Fremantle Council - need to ensure we make an urgent shift to a zero-emissions economy. Fremantle Council can help with its own infrastructure development and universal environmental standards in all new building approvals. More importantly, the council can help pressure state and federal governments to implement 100% renewable energy and free and expanded public transport. A Transperth Free Transit Zone in Fremantle and the implementation of the council bicycle plan would be a good start.
Council support for community gardens
Creating a Hilton community garden is a great idea. Let’s support communities that want to turn underutilised council and other land into community garden projects.
Hilton Precinct
The council’s done some great work in projecting how the Hilton shopping area could be transformed from a chaotic eyesore into a people friendly area, but the hurdle is the Main Roads classification of that part of South Street. This is no longer a justification because the Fremantle Eastern Bypass is not going to be built. If needed the council can organise to put public pressure on Main Roads and the State Government to get the project going.
Support rights for council and community workers
The council is an extension of the community and should set an example in workplace rights and standards. It should not use individual contracts or anti-union laws to drive down wages and conditions. The idea that this is good management that saves money is completely wrong because it undermines the working conditions of everyone in the community. Councilors have a right and responsibility to take an interest in employment conditions in our community.
