Craig Buchanan | Politician
Craig Buchanan
Phone: +61 427 931 745
Reviews
to load big map
25.01.2022 If you missed Chris Ilsley’s interview with Kerri Shannon last night, take a listen. His level of journalism far outstrips that which we normally see, where govt. press releases are regurgitated word for word. Instead, Chris asks insightful questions, and does his own research. Larry Graham’s comments at the end are also worth taking on board. Something smells fishy, and it isn’t the Town of Cambridge that has us holding our noses!
22.01.2022 The State Government has just launched the website for its Containers for Change scheme, which will have its delayed start on 1 October 2020. Personally, I'd have liked to have seen an option somewhere between Rockingham and Port Kennedy - I'm amazed that there's nothing at the Warnbro shopping centre as yet - but I suspect more options will be added once the scheme is up and running. Check it out at: http://www.containersforchange.com.au
21.01.2022 A fair summary of last week’s Council debate on rates, and its outcome, courtesy of The Soumd Telegraph.
21.01.2022 Those following the current rates debate might find the attached article from The Sound Telegraph of interest. Incidentally, word on the street is that the City of Cockburn are likely to follow the City of Gosnells in introducing a rebate which would maintain this years rate for all residents. Will we be surrounded on all sides by rebates, I wonder?
21.01.2022 I started the day with members of the Totally and Partially Disabled Veterans Association of W.A. in Port Kennedy, and ended it with the good folk of the Safety Bay Ex-Services and Community Club, at their Rockingham memorial service. It was a real privilege to commemorate the 54th anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan, and Vietnam Veterans Day in such fine company. Lest we forget.
20.01.2022 During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act. George Orwell.
19.01.2022 Given that tonight’s Council meeting ran to three hours, and given that this is the first time we’ve been able to provide an audio recording via the City’s website (likely up on Friday), I hope people will forgive me if I forego my usual after action video this month. The majority of the Azure apartment community were smiling as they left, and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags should both be flying alongside one another for the first time outside the City building tomorrow. We did a lot of other things as well, but check out the audio recording at your leisure for details of those.
18.01.2022 The City is now advertising its proposed rates differential for the coming financial year. If you are one of the 29% of residents who will see an increase in rates under this model, and you would prefer to see a genuine freeze put in place, click below, and make your views known. I voted alongside Councillors Buchan, Cottam and Whitfield in an attempt to achieve that earlier this week, only to be defeated. I respect the decision of Council, but I also realise that it’s something we will be asked to vote on again at next month’s meeting. So, if you have a view, make it known to the City via the link below.
18.01.2022 Are you a City of Rockingham resident, aged between 17 and 40, looking to pursue a tertiary course at Uni or TAFE? If you are, then you're eligible to apply for the City of Rockingham's Tertiary Scholarship Scheme, round two of which opens today 29 June, and closes Friday 17 July 2020. For more information, and to download the application package, visit the City's website, or contact [email protected] / tel. 9528 0333.
17.01.2022 This interview with Keri Shannon, the Mayor of the Town of Cambridge, is well worth listening to. Like her, I’m trying to get my head around what the Minister hopes to achieve with his latest, Gazetted amendment to the Code of Conduct Regulations.
17.01.2022 It’s always a pleasure to attend a citizenship ceremony at the City of Rockingham, and to welcome our newest Australians into the fold. As an extra bonus, I got to congratulate my own mother-in-law tonight, as she too joined the gang Down Under.
16.01.2022 You might recall a few months back, in one of my earliest videos, I mentioned Paul, the feisty little koala Claire and I adopted in the wake of the NSW bushfires. I’m sad to say Paul made the news this week, for all the wrong reasons. He was making a good recovery, but then took a sudden downturn. He was the first of the koalas rescued, but sadly he passed away a couple of days ago as a combined result of his injuries and his ongoing trauma. We’ll be looking to adopt one of his cousins in the coming days, and if anybody else is so minded, you can find details of how to help at https://www.koalahospital.org.au. RIP little fella.
15.01.2022 I know you shouldn't compare apples with oranges, and no two councils are the same, but it's interesting to read that the City of Brisbane (which has taken a financial hit larger than the annual revenue collected across the whole of the City of Rockingham) have been both willing and able to freeze rates for their residents.
15.01.2022 Your local Council, working as a team, achieved a lot tonight. We passed a hardship motion put forward by Councillor Jones, which will go out for public comment, and could see a series of $200 grants available for those struggling to pay their rates. Councillor Edwards succeeded in getting a motion through on future approaches to homelessness in the area, and Councillor Whitfield had unanimous support for his motion to lobby against further residential development in Baldiv...is in the immediate future. All great things. We also, you'll be pleased to hear, voted to approve concessions for those of you who would otherwise have been paying more in rates next year because of the GRV revaluations. If I focus on that in my short video, rather than the other great achievements of tonight, it isn't to take the shine off them - I'm very happy to have supported all three. It's been a long night though, so I thought I'd keep it short and sweet! See more
12.01.2022 A great and honest interview with Councillor Rae Cottam. I’m proud to know and call both of these local councillors my friends - good going, ladies!
12.01.2022 For those who have been asking (and I know a few of you are keen to see it), here's the link to the May 2020 Zoom-facilitated City of Rockingham Council Meeting. Enjoy!
12.01.2022 For the record, I am very grateful for David Rudman’s endorsement in this week’s Sound Telegraph, but my focus remains firmly on this year’s financial situation, and the rates levy we will impose in July. To my way of thinking, there will be more than enough time for mayoral candidates to set out their stalls once we have that situation in hand, for better or for worse, as the case may be.
11.01.2022 I know this isn’t local, but it’s Perth-based, and needs to be shared as widely as possible. Please spread the word, and help to see this plaque returned to its rightful place.
08.01.2022 Not content with a rates freeze, Melville have announced a package of rebates which will see 99% of their residents paying LESS next year than this. Why is it so easy for other administrations, but so hard for us here in Rockingham, you might ask? To quote Francis Urquhart, I couldn’t possibly comment ...
07.01.2022 A quick After Action Report summarising our Ordinary Council Meeting of July 2020.
06.01.2022 A short summary of what you can expect us to deal with at the City of Rockingham's July 2020 Ordinary Council meeting.
05.01.2022 A quick summary of some of the topics we're going to be discussing at the City of Rockingham's August 2020 Ordinary Council Meeting.
05.01.2022 A post from my fellow Councillor, Matt Whitfield, encouraging all residents with an interest to comment on the City’s proposed live streaming of Council meetings. Matt has walked a long road to see us reach this stage, and I commend his tenacity. Go on to the City’s website, and have your say. Personally, I think it’s a great initiative, long overdue, and one that I was very happy to vote for.
05.01.2022 A quick Rates Freeze special ahead of the City of Rockingham's June 2020 Ordinary Council Meeting.
04.01.2022 Thank heavens for a sensible voice in parliament, and thank you to Aaron Stonehouse for moving last night's motion to disallow the changes to Reg. 9.1 that were being pushed through by the government. Now councillors can continue to seek independent advice when necessary, and in Rockingham we can continue to sit on the complaints panel, a role that we would have had to have surrendered to unelected officers if David Templeman had been allowed to have his way.
01.01.2022 It was great to see such a strong turn out of local councillors at this morning’s Vietnam Memorial Service, organised by the wonderful and dedicated men and women of the Totally and Partially Disabled Veterans Association of WA. Fifty-four years to the day since the Battle of Long Tan. Lest we forget.
