Ep # 44 – The Drive Home to Hawkesbury with Mayor Mary Lyons-Buckett

The Drive Home to Hawkesbury with Rachael Goldsworthy

Today on this episode of The Drive Home to Hawkesbury, Rachael had the unique opportunity of catching up with the Mayor Mary Lyons-Buckett to hear about all the great things happening in the Hawkesbury.

Councillor Mary Lyons-Buckett is a Lawyer/Mediator, who lives in Kurrajong and has lived in the Hawkesbury area for 36 years. Clr Lyons-Buckett was first elected to Hawkesbury City Council in September 2012 and is the current Mayor, being elected in September 2016. She currently serves on a number of Committees on behalf of Council, including: • Human Services Advisory Committee • Hawkesbury Civics and Citizenship Committee • Waste Management Advisory Committee • Floodplain Risk Management Advisory Committee • Development Application Monitoring Advisory Committee • ClubGrants Local Committee • Regional Strategic Alliance • McMahon’s Park Management Committee • NSW Public Libraries Committee Clr Lyons-Buckett is also involved in the community in other ways, some of which are:- • Hawkesbury Environment Network • Kurrajong Community Forum • North Richmond and Districts Community Action Association Clr Lyons-Buckett’s other interests outside of her Council commitments include:- • Politics • Law reform • Music • Theatre • Soccer • Swimming

Mayor-Mary-Lyons-Buckett

She spoke on all things Hawkesbury and as promised on the livecast I have the links to Investing in your Future Special Rate Variation Overview 2018/2019 Works, Programs and Capital Works as promised below.

A couple of other great initiatives by the Council as follows:-

1/ “Hawkesbury Fest” is being held at Governor Phillip Park on Sunday 29th July from 11am – 3pm. It’s a great opportunity for the Hawkesbury community to come along and get to know the Services that Council provides for everyone.

2/ Inaugural Town Meetings – The launch Event is on 6th June at 6pm Hawkesbury Regional Gallery, Windsor. Questions can be sent in using an online form in writing or by video. See the Council website or Mayoral Facebook Page for further details.

It was great to get the local update from the Mayor today and I look forward to catching up online again soon.

Rachael

Special Rate Variation Overview 2018 2019 Works and Programs – Interview with Mayor Lyons-Buckett and Rachael Goldsworthy

I’m Rachael Goldsworthy and welcome to the drive home to Hawkesbury, where I believe every home has a story and I love sharing those stories on real estate in the Hawkesbury with you. Here we share the best ways to add value to your property, how to avoid the common mistakes people make when buying and selling property, and how to get the maximum return on your investment with a focus on supporting local business. I live love Hawkesbury and can’t wait to get into today’s episode. Let’s get started.
Good morning, good afternoon or good evening depending on what time you’re watching this episode of the drive home to Hawkesbury. I’m Rachael Goldsworthy and I am lucky enough to be joined by the mayor or city council. Met a May. How are you today?
Well, thank you Rachel. How are you today?
Really good. I was lucky enough to meet you. One of the community events and one of the council meetings that was had and I suppose that’s an everyday occurrence for the mere going to and from meetings and meeting a lot of people in the area. Yes. I’m sure that the mayor would be very busy. Sometimes we have technical difficulties in. Sometimes it’s difficult for people to hear, but it’s great that everybody’s on the line and everybody’s looking sign. Hello. We’ve got quite a few viewers and quite a few thumbs up, so thank you for everybody for joining us. What’s it like in the day of a mayor?
Uh, it varies quite significantly. A can be a really jam packed day with lots of meetings including council meetings or briefings or it can be a day out in the community or it can just be a day in the office where I’m catching up on things.
Yeah. Terrific. And you’ve got your finger in so many pies for so many people are looking after the community and doing a great job. How do you manage it or mad on it?
Sorry, Rachel. I miss that.
That’s okay. I was just saying that you have your finger in many pies for the community. You’re looking after so many people. You do so much for your great community advocate. How do you manage it all?
Uh, well it’s just a matter of balancing like it is for any job, I guess it’s balancing your time and working out priorities. There’s a number of things I have to do with your job easily. I can’t change, but in terms of how I get around the community and what I do, it’s reasonably flexible and I can share my time around quite well and also balanced, balanced by family and home life as well.
Yes. And obviously you’ve got a family behind the mayor. What’s, what do they think of you being the mayor and how do they fit into it all? I mean honestly
I may have called for a long time so my children were used to it and um, yeah, my husband’s very supportive so I’m very lucky.
No, it’s terrific, isn’t it? And it’s so nice that you have that family unit there to support you and it’s so important in what we all do. And I think it’s a great thing that I’m super proud of you as, as is everybody in the community, that you’re the mayor for us and you’re doing such a great job out there. So, thank you, we appreciate it. I’m talking about Maryland. Judy, sometimes you, you have to deliver new users that is not so great and one of them is probably on the hot topic list for us in regards to ipod and the writing crease. Um, can you share a little bit about that, the insight, the nine point five percent increase that we’re going to be feeling over the next couple of years and um, how that will impact for the residents?
I didn’t quite hear your question, Rachel, but I did hear you say something about the Slc, so I’ll just run through that a bit. Uh, it is something which will of course impact on households, were aware of that as do all the other cost of living pressures that are occurring at the moment. Now we have a fully costed comprehensive works program and we really have to get these words upgrade our roads safer. We have our major complaint is of course about roads. So we need to fix the roads and we weren’t to introduce this. We would have no improvements at all and in fact we may have to actually reduce services. And make cuts to services because we had such a large consultation period with the community and the community don’t want service and I certainly want to see improvements so we have various policies in place which can assist people who may face hardships or who may want to have some sort of alternate payment plan, but a weight are determined to DB for on this. It’s not a matter of just asking people for more money with
not too sure whether we’ve lost you there, but I’m halfway through talking about the rights of how it’s going to impact the local residents and that it is a difficult thing for the local residents to feel. But certainly the, um, it’s a necessary thing that you are bringing in. And then now you’ve joined us back again and you can finish off what your assignment. A mayor. I’m sorry. The technology last is there for a bit. So you’re saying in regards to the impact is great, however it’s a necessary thing to bring in the ipod.
Yes, it is a necessary thing. Which is unfortunate. But for many years there’s been a backlog of infrastructure, a 90 nights that hasn’t been done and we simply have to fix it because we have to have our roads in good condition for the future and we have to make them Sifa throughout April, so on. So I’ve got a technician in the room now is doing something, um, so um, households estranged already and a way quite aware of that. Yeah, it is
difficult. And I think too, with an older population in some of the areas of Hawkesbury, it is more difficult for them. They have the asset of a home, the value of that asset is increasing. Therefore the value of the rates are increasing with valuer general coming out with increasing values off their properties, which in turn affects the amount of money that they pay for their rights. So it is good that you are sympathetic to them and listening to what’s going on in the community. But also I think it’s equally important that the roads have been improved because I know myself, I’m driving along roads I’ve done remains on particular cause and therefore drives and you know, $250 for a tire or a regional one heavy. It’s expensive. So it’s great that you’re doing the roads and I know that the locals will love them.
Essential that we have to deal with. Yes. We’ve got a, we have to, we have to do what needs to be done.
Yes. And I noticed in the investing in your future, um, some of the right variations which had been founded on, is it okay if I put a link of this up online for people to get an idea as to the money that’s being spent because it’s being well spent in different areas, anywhere from, you know, $1,500 right through to half a million dollars on different roads structures anywhere from glosso India and North Richmond, Richmond, South Windsor, sort tennis and, or before
across the entire Hawkesbury.
Hm. Yeah. So it makes a big difference. And I’m also in regards to the other things that you’re doing. It’s another sheet that I will put up online for people to have a look at. Lots of different areas where you focus in. It’s not just about the rose, you’re looking at business improvement, the volunteer and community development, public domain and pop and maintenance.
I do apologize for it. I’m counting on you. I am only hearing your questions, so I’m on. Sorry mate. Maybe it should be going to some sort of technological upgrade. I’m not sure if I’m saying spend across the entire Hawkesbury area, which is good. So we’ve tried to ensure that the priorities in each area for people, there’ll be ongoing works, but part of doing this is to enable us to be in a position where we can actually continue, uh, to deliver more positively because we, that’s the rationale behind that.
The positive comments coming through. We’ve got somebody saying, love our mayor and there’s a lot of people that I’m a support as off you, madam mayor and I feel that you’re doing a great job. So keep up the good work. Um, there’s a couple of other things too, which I’ve noticed certainly since you’ve been in, in, as mayor that there’s been a lot of community events and a lot more things being, you know, involving the community and one such that’s coming up on the 29th of July, I believe down at government park, which is such a great location for things to be held. Um, tell me a little bit about that. What is, um, Hawkesbury first all about and, and how can people get in touch with people to be involved?
Uh, well I think the Hawkesbury fest is going to be a celebration of local government week, which will be holding it at a family event and it, Phillip Pop, as you say, it’s a fantastic venue for that sort of thing. And uh, there’ll be various things. I’ve got this tier of what will actually think going on a, it’s a new free community event and we’ll have all that area services there to tell people what we do. So we’ll have, for example, a nursery which will be giving away a thousand plants on the day if you need some old plants. Come along and we’ll be planting a tree to celebrate national three day. We’ll have representatives from our animal shelter. They’re hosting competitions that promoting animals available for adoption. Uh, we’ll be opening, I believe, a new pack, I think, uh, so we’ve just had a new, a poc including a splash park installed and a cabinet full of packs.
I that will be opening. We’ll have people from our library, Gallery and museum and uh, we’ll have all free activities for the children liked jumping castles, face painting and roving entertainment, which sounds exciting. And as well as that will have a sheep dog and agility displayed, which I always love dog display and community groups and so on. We’ll also be showcasing their groups and hosting a sausage sizzle. So it should be a wonderful day and you’re quite right to be alongside a beautiful river is always a really good opportunity for the community to get together and enjoy that.
I think so when you have some great events down at government and government,
oh,
with the technology we’re getting plugged in here, which is even better. So you’d be able to hear the questions a little bit easier. So that’s fantastic. Thank you. Mr. Technical and this is technical. Whoever’s helping. Yeah, makes it a little bit easier. Now I’m getting my park is such a great location for those of you that don’t know, it’s at the northern end of Windsor area and it’s got a great boat ramp and you’ve got a lovely park Parkland area for the kids to apply. Plenty of parking. Very accessible. You can walk into town, into the great cafes and shops and the galleries and the museums and um, you know, the local pubs and eatery. So a really good location and I think it’s a good symbiotic relationship between the two. It’s good to bring more business into the area and good for the local shops. What’s the feeling like for the people in the area that you’re, you know, what’s the feedback from you in regards to the local community at the moment? What are you speaking to people about? What are their main concerns and what are their challenges? Mattamy?
Well, that’s quite varied at the moment because people have many different challenges as you could appreciate, uh, we have the theory is big state issues which are impacting people’s such as the corridors and things like that. We have the general pressures people face, such as the cost of living pressures and so on. We’ve got a lot of people who attained to see what we’re going to do with revitalizing our towns as we’ve just recently, as you probably know, a finished a play score survey and we’ve got lots of plans. I’m folding to, uh, you know, try and really boost our townships, playing them off and stole some more exciting things within our towns as well as several new programs that we’ve got going on. So when I’m out and about speaking to people,
I’m not too sure whether anybody else is experiencing their technical planning. Put you back again. So you need to do with the planning and you’re looking after different things within the community to increase and boost the, the infrastructure and the assistance with the local businesses. Is that right?
That’s correct, yes.
Yeah, no, that’s terrific. That’s good. Now it’s a very hot topic at the moment and I’ll speak to the counselor riches in regards to the corridor. There’s 192 kilometers of, of corridor that has proposed. The submissions have now closed, I believe for the first of June. What was the feedback in regards to that matter, mayor and was there any discussion around that? What was the feedback from the community? And also, um, you know, in regards to the acquisition process, that’s another question. The $200,000 did. Can you share with the people listening as to what the feeling is out there and what you feel is going to happen with that card or.
Yes. Well the corridor announcement, it’s no doubt. And I think the government would probably acknowledge that it was not done well at all. It was quite unacceptable to have caused that the level of distress amongst the community. And, and that was the feedback and the immediate feedback we got from people who were simply approached one day to say their land by vehicle. I had four record or, and uh, so it’s evolved from there. There’s been a bit of ambiguity surrounding it because last night there was a news item saying various things would happen and that the issue would go to cabinet on Thursday. A council did actually have, uh, which, uh, is going in after the 13th of June where we’ll discuss it at our council making. So I think one of the main issues has been the level of uncertainty connected to it.
Yeah. You can understand that worry and anxiety around a house that’s been there. The families had the farm or the property for 100 gs and then they’re just being told, well wait, it’s going to take this back because we need to put a card all through here. So I, you know, I, I feel for the people that have their homes that are in that cart or proposed cardinal, but it’s great that as you said, if they’re acknowledging that it wasn’t done correctly and they are allowing the submissions to be put forward to the first of June. And I know that you’re supporting people with their submissions. I know councilor reaches support people with their submissions as I’m sure you know, the full kit of counselors would have been there and the local community just helping one another to understand the process and also, you know, form the information required and have the meetings, local meetings to bring an awareness to the subject.
Yeah,
yeah. No, I think it’s really important. So, um, in regards to community consultation, obviously people are listening, which is great. And as a result of that, you’ve got your first town meeting coming up tomorrow, I believe that’s rather exciting for you.
Yes, we do. We have our first town meeting. I’ve got a list of all of the math is fun. They seem winter, of course it’s the launch of our new town meetings that’s on the sixth of June at 6:00 PM at the Hawkesbury regional gallery, but she’s a lovely opportunity to showcase our beautiful gallery, uh, to the public as well. And then they’re in various other towns. You can find all the dates and times on our website or our council facebook page as well as individual counselors will probably have those on their pages as well, so we’re crossing the entire whole spree and we really welcome people, the descending the questions by video or by email, a special email address and they can send those in and we’ll be answering those and we’ll be telling the public more about what to expect from the SFA program of works and also to update generally on.
Yes. Now I think it’s really important to have those town meetings because obviously everybody’s listened and learned from what happened or what didn’t happen with the corridor and it is important that people get their opportunity to say what they need to so that you know, counselors and mayors like yourself get an understanding of where the constituents of seeing what their thought patterns are, where, where the allegiances lie and what their passion is in the community. So I think it’s great that you’re doing that and it’s so good that it’s going to be locally in Windsor.
That’s so important. So important, Rachel, that we do that because that’s the only way that we really know were here to represent the community so they have to give us the feedback on what they want to see happen and how they want to see that happen. So we’ve done a lot of consultation over the last few years already and this will be furthering on from that. So we really, really welcome, you know, constructive criticism on things that we’re doing. We like input, suggestions, ideas. We love all of that. And, and of course it’s all of our community. It’s not just for the counselors today deciding. So we really have to be channeling what people want to see happen in the future.
Exactly as you said, you know, it’s not a matter of, you know, um, one person making a decision or collective making decision. It’s everybody that needs to make that decision. And I think we all need to put our toe in the water. We need to jump into that, that like together or jump into the river together and make a stand for what’s important to us all. Because if we don’t talk to yourself, you’re not going to know what you want, what we want. So
exactly, it’s really important and, and we all need to work together because we need to be able to identify what we want it for. What were you see the Hawkesbury being in the future as we’ve got a very, very large growing to cc on our doorstep, we have to really define how we want to go in the future and how we want that to be.
Yes, that’s right. And it doesn’t work. It doesn’t matter what political party that you belong to or what position that you hold. As you say, it’s a matter of involvement. Everybody working together cohesively to get that great result for the community. Now, talking about the future, where do you see the future of the Hawkesbury and with vertical living? Um, any sort of new developments that are coming on that may make a difference to the area in general. What’s your thoughts on the future for the spring?
Well, for the future I’d be really keen, first of all, to see a lot of our efforts dedicated to generating more employment opportunities out here. Firstly, because we have so many people who have to make long commutes every day and work out of the area. We really need to capitalize on the opportunities we can generate in that regard. That’s one aspect of it. And we’re working on, on strategies to do that. And the other thing is of course, where he currently preparing a land strategy, so that will be identifying way of various sorts of development and a housing strategy as to what sorts of things. So you mentioned a vertical living. Uh, I would envisage there would be some, a denser development within the city areas where it can be sustained, but of course we in the Hawkesbury have some limitations that other areas don’t have.
We have height limits due to the ref based presence and we also have a floodplain. We have bushfire zones, we have a lot of national park. We’ve got quite a few constraints on the level of development that we can have and a future development. I would like to see a thing quite sustainable and being really good solid development for the future, not just, uh, anything ad hoc anywhere. I think we need, we have an opportunity now to really plan for the future. Uh, we’re on the fringe of the city. We need to retain some buffer zones. We have the food producing area with lungs of the city. We need to really stamp our identity in that regard and ensure that we’re, as, we will have growth, that we have growth that is sustainable and manageable and we also have issues with the, with the flood, you know, our potential for flooding and bushfire is quite extreme. So we also need to encompass all of that planning into our overall planning.
Yeah. Some real valid points there because I think a lot of people don’t realize that those threes, it’s a triangle really isn’t it, with what’s going on in and around the area. Um, Toowoomba with their floods, they had major changes that were made. I know that you’re very aware of that and working towards those sorts of plans, which is terrific, but it’s important as you side to have the employment opportunities and have the businesses that can support those employment opportunities within the area because we have such a great spot. I mean, I don’t want to tell too many people about it because, you know, it’s just such a great secret that we’ve all had for such a long time. But, uh, you know, this beautiful. We can walk down to the river within 250 meters of our office. We’re right there and you can swim in the water if you wanted. You can take your boat out for a run. You can go for a ski and go for a walk with the dog. You can walk in the National Park, you can take your bike for a ride along the bike ways. Um, you can go to some of the national gallery that the museum’s cafes businesses like how lucky are we to be living here? Madeline?
We’re so lucky and we also have so much untapped potential to be able to capitalize on all of these natural attributes that we have, so many of those things are coming through in our town centers, working group and our tourism groups and so on. We’ve just got to actually tie that all together and tie. Told him with the strategic planning, which is something that the state government has wanted us to get our strategic planning in order, so that’s what we’re working on and hopefully that won’t be too much long that before we’ve completed all of that.
Yeah, no, that’s great. We’ve got people saying hello to you. We’ve got catherine saying hello to you. We’ve got Sierra Rosa has given you a shout out. Deborah, Jennifer, Jeanine, Dema, Hendra Kim. Danielle. I’m sorry. For all the people that I can’t say hello to this. So many of them wanted to be online. Is there nobody have any to everybody on the line. We really appreciate everybody joining us. You might become a regular or irregular thing, but I know there has been some questions at the time. If anybody’s got any questions before we finish up today, please ask them. Um, we’ll see if we’ve got any questions that come through. But, um, it’s been terrific to speak to you. And I think too, people don’t realize that, you know, me as a real estate agent, you as the mayor, we do have lives outside of what we do every day. But um, it’s great that we can be involved with our community. But, uh, you know, your daughter just graduated recently too, didn’t she from universities that wrong?
Sorry, I just hit that last week. My daughter just graduated. Very exciting time for the family. It’s my youngest daughter and, and um, the last one because she’s still at unique or she’s still completing a master’s, but um, she, uh, yes. Oh, all three of my children now I’ll qualify it and so on, which is somewhat of a relief. I guess it’s a wonderful thing. Which,
which brings us one it two or three 62 years. So from a, they’re probably super proud of you. You assign that. That was super proud of you. Um, you know, in originally, but now you’re super proud of them for, for achieving what they had done and uh, it’s good to have that family unit is saying before I, it was just one question from somebody that’s comes through, um, what’s at the top of your list as me, what’s the most important thing to you as mayor? I’m sure that there’s probably many things that there are, but, uh,
that’s the question that we’ve had there. Sorry, I didn’t, I didn’t hear it. I’m sorry.
Okay. As a, as the main, what’s the most important thing you feel is, um, is on the top of your list?
I’m really sorry. Actually keeps freezing and I just heard something on the top of my least. Yeah.
So on the top of your list, what is as mayor as the main, what is your priority? What is your number one in your day?
Uh, number one in my day, every day to be committed to what I have promised the community alive will do, which is to work for the betterment of this community and to truly represent what I believe is the best and to try and have our council work together to really deliver what we’ve all promised to the people, even though there may be differences, there is without a doubt all 12 counselors that committed to making the whole spray a better place. And I’m proud to lead people enjoying that. And I hope that that’s what we’re.
Yeah, no, I think you guys are doing a great job or 12 counselors are really appreciated and as you say, whether people agree or don’t agree, it doesn’t matter what stand you have as little as we come together at the end with the real community issues that matter to people and make a difference in everybody’s lives. I think that that’s a great thing. Now, if people had questions in regards to the Hawkesbury or the council or anything else, how would they get in contact with me?
Uh, well they can either email me, mayor at Hawkesbury Dot New South Wales Dot Gov Dot Edu. I have a facebook page, the council has a facebook page, they can call me my numbers and contact details are on the council website and I’m happy to take questions and have conversations with anybody about anything. If they want to make an appointment they can ring the council and they can book an appointment to come and see me as well. No, that’s
great. And that’s what we love about the mayor is she’s always accessible and contactable and um, you know, easy to be able to speak to as I have done to that. And I really appreciate the opportunity. I will put up some leads for people so that they get, if they do want to get in contact or they’ve got some questions in regards to things coming up or the town really tomorrow night, don’t forget, you might get your opportunity to meet Matt, a mare there or alternatively email, email the or any of the questions that you have. And once again, I really appreciate the opportunity to have you on the drive home to Hawkesbury today.
I apologize if I had given disjointed answers, but I haven’t heard all your questions. You, you just freezing in front of me. But I like that. Thank you for having me. I look forward to coming back. Yeah, no, that’s fantastic. And as I say, we do have some technical issues from time to time and both at this Ken free. So we’re both working with that. It is a live show that aren’t any edit, so. Well done for um, you know, hanging in there and we’re also the faces frozen as we’re talking to one another. We still got there in the end I think, and everybody’s giving me the thumbs up and lots of hearts and likes. If anybody’s got any questions, don’t hesitate to contact myself. Rachel [e-mail] dot EU. You can find me at my facebook page and also I’ll put the links up for Mehta met and we will catch up with you on the next episode. We really appreciate your time at a mic. Thank you and goodbye to everybody. Thanks Rachel. Have a lovely day. Bye Bye. Bye.
Thank you so much for taking time out listening to today’s episode. If you have any questions on the process of buying, selling, leasing, or strata management, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me. Be sure to subscribe on itunes and I really appreciate if you could spread the word by liking and sharing this episode with your family and friends. I’m Rachael Goldsworthy and I look forward to catching up with you on the next episode of the Drive Home to Hawkesbury.