August 20 - 26, 2017: Issue 326

Group B - Independent Team - Narrabeen Ward
Local Government Election 2017

L to R: Tammy Cook, Vincent De Luca OAM and Tony Biasi

Group B - Independent Team - Narrabeen Ward

I'm delighted to have standing with me as fellow Independents for the Narrabeen Ward, locals Tony Biasi and Tammy Cook. 
Independence, Experience and Integrity. 
On 9 September please Vote 1 above the Line for Group B.

Some of My Priorities and Achievements:
Keeping Rates Down
In 2013 I voted against the Mayor of Warringah and his political party’s decision to apply for a Special Rate Variation to the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) to increase Council rates by approximately 25%. I felt such an increase was unsustainable, unfair and Council needed to pull in its own wasteful expenditure before slugging rate-payers. I led a community campaign against the proposal and while IPART granted an increase
in rates of 19.7%, my and the community’s campaign ensured the higher rate application was rejected.
I will continue to lobby to ensure that rates are not increased.

Maintaining Free Parking for Rate-Payers at Beaches and Parks
In 2012 Warringah’s Mayor and his political party voted to remove the free second Parking Sticker from Rate-Payers. Together with then Councillor Virginia Laugessen, we ensured that the decision was later overturned. With such high rates, I strongly believed, and indeed still do, that rate-payers should not be charged for Parking at our beautiful Beaches and Parks.

Stopping Over-Development
Like most residents, I do not want to see our main arterial roads and community hubs dominated by Chatswood like High Rise Developments – we simply do not have the infrastructure to cope and such development is against our community’s lifestyle. 

In 2008 when Warringah Council was under administration following its dismissal, the Administrator passed a height increase for a particular site in Dee
Why to 18 storeys. I campaigned against this and immediately upon my election to the new Warringah Council in 2008 I moved immediately to overturn that decision. Unfortunately, I was blocked by the Mayor’s governing majority. 

In 2013 residents and I were alarmed when the Mayor, in an alliance with Liberal Party Member, Cr Jose Menano Pires moved to increase the height limit of a particular property on Pittwater Road Dee Why to 15 storeys in return for the developer entering into a VPA and paying Council money, office
space, a new toilet and foot bridge over Pittwater Road. 

With our community, I fought hard against this proposal, with even the Joint Regional Planning Panel and the Land and Environment Court eventually rejecting Council’s and the developer’s proposals concluding that the height was “excessive”. 

I have also, with residents, lobbied against inappropriate Boarding Houses and other developments at Cromer and Frenchs Forrest. I will continue to
ensure that the community’s views are heard and advocate on your behalf for what you want for the destiny of our wonderful northern beaches.

Protecting Surf Life Saving and volunteer organisations
I opposed successfully Warringah Council’s move to commercialise Surf Life Saving facilities and community buildings, one particular proposal was to put a 60 seat Restaurant on the land occupied by Surf Life Saving at the Fisherman’s Beach, Long Reef. I believe our volunteer Life Savers and volunteer community and sporting groups are selfless and should not be charged commercial rents of their buildings to undertake the essential community services they devote themselves to. I will continue to fight against commercialisation as I don’t want to see Clubs becoming like Surf Clubs
in Queensland with poker machines and other gambling facilities. 

During my time on Council I moved for Grants to Surf Life Saving and other sporting organisations and also worked hard to ensure that the first synthetic field became a reality for Manly Warringah Soccer Association at Cromer Park.

Exposing Council’s Luxury Car Fleet and trying to save rate payers money
With the Daily Telegraph, I exposed that Warringah Council had spent millions of dollars of rate payers’ money over the years on luxury vehicles for the Mayor and Council staff. Vehicles included makes such as Mercedes, Audi, Jaguar, Volkswagen, Chrysler and Jeep. The waste on maintaining such vehicles was also excessive. 

My actions brought about transparency and a reduction in the amount luxury vehicles in the fleet. With several other Councils not even providing vehicles for private use for their Mayors and staff, I believe every effort must be made to ensure appropriate and fiscal responsibility of rate-payers’ money.

Youth, Aged and Child Care Services
As a former President of one of the Northern Beaches largest Youth and Community Centres for over a decade, with one of the largest children’s play groups, I recognised that our community requires decent youth, aged and child care services. This is why I have always moved for funding for better facilities, services and more child care places on the Northern Beaches. I believe that Council has a strong role to lead on such essential services and that rate-payers would rather have their rates spent on such services rather than luxury vehicles for politicians and bureaucrats and excessive salaries.

I have also supported youth suicide and drug and alcohol prevention initiatives and as a long term Ambassador for the White Ribbon Foundation have worked hard to stop domestic violence.

Off Leash Dog Areas
I have lobbied hard for new off-leash dog exercise areas after requests from residents and in my Ward ensured that Truman Reserve and James Wheeler Reserves became off-leash area for these pets.

About Vincent De Luca OAM
Vincent, grew up on the Northern Beaches and has worked extensively in youth affairs, youth suicide prevention, drug and alcohol prevention, domestic violence prevention and child protection, giving a helping hand to some of the most disadvantaged and vulnerable people in our community.  His grandmother, the late Marjorie Smith OAM was a driving force behind the foundation of Warringah Amateur Swimming Association and the building of Warringah Aquatic Centre and his mother, Roslyn De Luca OAM was a foundation member of Manly Warringah Netball Association.  He has followed in their footsteps serving the community since 12 years of age.
 

He was appointed a Delegate to the National Peoples’ Convention on Youth Suicide Prevention in 1997 and tasked with developing a youth suicide prevention strategy for Australia with community leaders from across the country. In 2014 and 2015 he was a Delegate to the National Convention on Suicide Prevention.  Vincent was also appointed to the Executive Committee of the National Peoples’ Council on Drug Prevention - High on Hope, attended the National Cities Against Drugs Summit and he co-founded GAPS youth suicide prevention and support Association. He served as President of the Curl Curl Youth and Community Centre for over a decade, has been a strong advocate and supporter for Surf Life Saving and was formerly the President of the Friends of Warringah Residents’ Group against over-development.  He has also fundraised extensively for cancer research, and support services for cancer patients and their families and has helped to raise significant funds for the White Ribbon Foundation for stopping violence against women, the Australian Gynaecological Cancer Foundation, Cancer Council NSW and Cure the Future Foundation.
 
In recognition of his outstanding voluntary service to youth welfare, charitable and sporting organisations in 2004 he was named in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List and awarded the Order of Australia (OAM).

He has been admitted as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of NSW, and is a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws and holds a Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice and previously was an officer in the NSW Attorney General’s Department.   

He served as an Independent Councillor on Warringah Council from 2008 – 2016.  In the last term of Council, he was the only true Independent on the Council and only Councillor not a member of any Registered Political Party.
 
Tony Biasi
Tony has grown up on the Northern Beaches, attended St Pauls College Manly and was a Student Leader.  He is married to Lucia, who was born and bred on the Northern Beaches, and is the father of five children.
 

Through his own personal participation and that of his children, he has been actively involved in local Rugby League, Junior Rugby Union, Little Athletics, Futsal and Soccer.  During this time he has developed a passion for promoting and serving the Northern Beaches Community. Tony served for several years as President of St Paul’s College, Manly Parents and Friends Association.
 
Tony is a prominent local Small Business Owner and knows the issues confronting Small Businesses and is determined to ensure a Council that cares about Small Business.  One of his businesses, Tony’s Barbershop in Dee Why, has been established for over 40 years and was founded by his father and has spanned over three generations.  Tony also provides and promotes personal development coaching and workshops through another family run business “Perfect Unison” Mind Body Spirit Centre in Curl Curl.
 
Tony is extensively involved with and has been an active contributor to several charities, predominately “The Dare The Boss Campaign” to help cure childhood cancer.
Tony is a person of the highest integrity and places ethical principles at the forefront of all he does.
 
He is focussed on ensuring governance and leadership, with a grass roots understanding, knowledge and experience as a Northern Beaches local.  Tony also aims to achieve results and resolve issues through collaboration and engaging the opinions of the residents he is representing and will best serve the Northern Beaches community as a whole. Tony will aim to assist in areas that greatly impact the Northern Beaches community including promoting community services, youth development programs, continued improvement to sporting programmes and facilities, parking facilities, infrastructure and services for rate payers, residents and local businesses.
 
Tammy Cook
Tammy, lives in Cromer and is a full time working Mum of with two kids aged 15 and 14 and is currently employed as Commercial Officer.  She holds a Bachelor of Commerce and is a Fellow Member of the Institute of Public Accountants (IPA).  
 

For many years she has been extensively involved with community and sporting group and has been a member of Narrabeen Beach Surf Life Saving Club since 2007 where she has served as Director of Youth & Membership Development 2010-2013, Director of Finance and Administration 2013-2015, currently Administration Support since 2016, has been Co-Ordinator of Narra Water Rats Youth Program since 2013, and is a current patrolling member.   Tammy is a member of Sydney Northern Beaches Branch Education Committee as Youth Advisor since 2016, and is also a member of Sydney Northern Beaches Branch’s Judiciary Committee.  
 
Tammy currently plays for Beacon Hill Netball Club, is the former Hon Secretary of Cromer Netball Club 2010 and was Coach of Collaroy Plateau Netball Club’s junior teams during the 2011-2012 seasons.  She is involved with summer soccer (small sided format) at Rat Park Narrabeen, and was a Team Manager for Cromer Cricket Club.  She helps out at Dee Why Rugby Club, wherever she can (BBQ and Canteen duty) where she hears first hand the problems confronting Northern Beaches families and our community, particularly youth.
 
Tammy loves community service and with her professional qualifications and experience will be able to be a strong voice for residents to protect their interests and ensure proper financial accountability and transparency of rate-payers money.