Stephen Nugent | Politician

Stephen Nugent

Phone: +61 437 293 177

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25.01.2022 Nano Diamond Batteries - cheap, safe, self-charging batteries that deliver high power for decades without ever needing a charge? Science fiction or not too distant game changer? Worth a read ... https://newatlas.com/en/nano-diamond-battery-interview-ndb/

24.01.2022 The latest State of the Climate Report is another reminder, if we needed one, of the critical importance for all us - governments, business, communities and individuals - to take decisive action on climate change, NOW!

24.01.2022 What's on the agenda for Tuesday's Council Meeting? Quite a lot actually. Starting with two Notices of Motion - one calling for public information sessions to be held during the exhibition period for all significant projects, and the other asking for the money normally spent on Council meeting catering (not happening during Covid) to be donated to food-based local charities. There are two items dealing with requests for financial support. The first is from ORVA for $20K to su...pport Orange Wine Month. This was deferred from a previous meeting is now back for decision - recommendation is $10K in line with policy. The other is an additional $100K for Orange 360 - to fund Covid rebound related destination marketing. This has been on public exhibition and is back with a recommendation to proceed. Also back from public exhibition, the Local Strategic Planning Statement (a new feature of the NSW Planning landscape that all Councils have to do). Will it value add? I hope so. There's three other planning matters, all of which are quite significant. The Towac Equine Precinct is back for next steps which involve the Planning Agreement and Contributions Plan - both to go out on public exhibition. The Forest Road Retail Precinct LEP Amendment is back from public exhibition - it's controversial due to the potential impact on the CBD. While the Environmental Assessment on the Southern Feeder Road Stage 4 comes to Council for the first time (Item 5.11). Item 5.6 recommends two motions be put forward to the Local Government NSW conference in November, one dealing with working with children and police checks for Councillors (debated at last meeting) and one seeking an electronic means of ordinary ballot (i.e. closed/secret) voting for Deputy Mayor and the like (also relates to last meeting). Other than that, there's a number of governance items - statement of investments, major project activities update, strategic policy re events on Council owned/managed land, and Council's 2019-20 financial statements to go to the auditors. If you want to read any of the items in detail, they're available in the usual place: https://www.orange.nsw.gov.au//meetings-and-minutes-archi/ And if you want to discuss any of the items, message me or give me a call.

23.01.2022 On the agenda for Tuesday's Council Meeting: Waste Management / Circular Economy 4.1 My NoM on recycled material in roads and pavements Council to report back on what more we can do and Central NSW JO to look at procurement program.... Water Restrictions / Water Management 4.2 Cr Munro's NoM to remove all water restrictions. 5.6 Council staff report recommending Permanent Water Saving Standards (same as Level 2 Water Restrictions). Permanent Water Saving Standards make a lot of sense water is finite and valuable resource and standards outline responsible guidelines for that resource. Cyril Smith has been advocating for permanent water saving rules for some time through ESCC (Environmental Sustainability Community Committee). 5.7 Minutes of Floodplain Risk Management Committee Approval of these gives the effect of putting the Blackmans Swamp Creek and Ploughmans Creek Floodplain Risk Management Study and Plan on public exhibition. Events 5.8 Event Application Pink Amusements Spring Family Carnival 28-29 November Application is to hold event at Orange Showgrounds recommendation is to not approve in line with previous decision to not approve Orange Fun Fair at Showgrounds on same dates. Administrative / Monthly Reporting 5.1 Recommendations from Policy Committees 5.2 Statement of Investments 5.3 Register of Disclosures Interests of Councillors and Designated Persons Recommendation is to make register available on Council website with appropriate redaction putting on website is good thing for transparency and accountability. 5.4 Projects Activities Update useful reference if you want to know what's going on with major projects. 5.5 Christmas/New Year Recess 2020/2021 proposed arrangements in terms of shut down periods, closures of Council facilities and delegations standard arrangements following practice of previous years. Plus 2 Items in Closed. Papers are available at: https://www.orange.nsw.gov.au//meetings-and-minutes-archi/ Give me a call if you want to discuss anything.

23.01.2022 Blackmans Swamp Creek in fine voice this morning :-)

22.01.2022 Sustainable House is on tomorrow as an online event! "Sustainable House Day 2020 is an online event, allowing access into Australia’s most unique and inspiring sustainable homes. Throughout the day three virtual rooms will host sessions delving into topics from design, building, renovating or retrofitting sustainable homes."... Check out the website for details and to register: https://sustainablehouseday.com/program/

22.01.2022 After a 5 Tuesday month in September, it's been almost 3 weeks since the last Council meeting. But we're back into it on Tuesday night. I took the opportunity to have a week off between my mother's wedding on September 26th and my daughter's birthday yesterday - really nice to hang out around Orange with Freya and Portia both home. Tuesday's meeting has a fairly full agenda and as a preview, thought I'd break it down into three chunks. First the Planning and Development Commi...ttee, where we have a number of items returning, plus the Orange CBD Eastern Precinct Plan. The Precinct Plan is an important document - it complements that OC Future City Project and focuses on the eastern side of the railway line including the former car yards and the DPI head office (soon to be vacated). It envisages a mix of smaller "boutique, artisan and creative" businesses, age care accommodation, affordable housing, student housing, and short-term tourist/visitor accommodation. It's a good read. As for returning items, we have: - the LEP amendment to allow 'Additional Permitted Uses' of 1 Leewood Drive (beside Southern Feeder Road) such as take away shops, highway service centres and other business premises; - the Blayney Cabonne Orange Sub-regional Rural and Industrial Land Strategy - for public exhibition after being deferred for 6 months back in April; - next steps for Caldwell House re-development - Health Infrastructure doesn't agree to Council's conditions to retain Caldwell House and want matter sent to the Western Region Planning Panel asap; - DA for servo on southern side of highway at Lucknow - previously deferred for a site visit to consider need for a turning lane and now back with no change.

22.01.2022 Orange BioBlitz starts this Friday. Click below to find out how to get involved. Great way to start the school holidays ...

22.01.2022 Not only is it National Water Week, it's also the Aussie Backyard Bird Count - 19 to 25 October. "The #AussieBirdCount is a great way to connect with the birds in your backyard no matter where your backyard happens to be a suburban backyard, a local park, a patch of forest, down by the beach, or the main street of town. You can count as many times as you like over the week, we just ask that each count is completed over a 20-minute period. The data collected assists BirdLife... Australia in understanding more about the birds that live where people live." Check out the website for more info: https://aussiebirdcount.org.au/

22.01.2022 National Water Week started today and just wanted to remind you about Water Night on Thursday night - have a go at surviving on one bucket of water between 5pm and 5am! For general info on NWW, checkout: https://www.awa.asn.au/A/About_AWA/National_Water_Week.aspx

22.01.2022 This is a really important inquiry - great work by our Federal MPs in making it happen!

21.01.2022 Water was a major focus of last night's Council meeting. We spent half an hour responding to Cr Munro's motion calling for all water restrictions to be scrapped for 3 months, then to be reviewed. No one spoke for it except Cr Munro and in the end, he voted against his own motion (first time that's happened?). We then spent a shorter time discussing the staff recommendation to introduce Permanent Water Saving Standards (based on Level 2 Water Restrictions). These were adopted and will kick in when the combined water storage gets to 80%. A good decision and something that should be adopted statewide - sensible/responsible use of a finite and valuable resource. And while on water, don't forget Water Night tomorrow from 5pm - can you survive on one bucket of water for a 12 hour period? Have fun with it: https://waternight.com.au/

21.01.2022 NAIDOC Week Opening Ceremony underway - smoking ceremony, welcome to country, flag raising and speeches ... Always Was, Always Will Be

21.01.2022 Monday is International Women's Day and the library is hosting an event from 7 to 9pm. It would great if you can make it along to support the event and hear guest speaker, Cr Joanne McRae. All the details at: https://www.orange.nsw.gov.au//library-up-late-internatio/

21.01.2022 Spring is here and ELF community garden was a great place to spend a couple of hours this afternoon - blossoms out in force and lots of seedlings planted. Next gardening get together is on Friday 18th from 3pm if you want to join us ...

20.01.2022 This is probably one of the best articles I've read on disability - accessible, well written, clear message and advice that is relatively easy to put into practice. You may like to check it out, Thanks Hannah and thanks ABC.

19.01.2022 What else is on the agenda for tomorrow night? DAs for 5 lot sub-division at 78 Forbes Rad (where Housing Plus had once planned to build social and affordable housing) and a service station on the highway at Lucknow (this one has come to Council before). Minutes of various community committees to be ratified in Policy Committees, plus the monthly Current Works report in Infrastructure (always interesting) and a request for assistance from the Canobolas Endurance Riders Club ...in Finance. Back in the Council meeting proper, we have to decide the best location for the eastern entrance signage, whether Councillors should have criminal record and working with children checks, who will be Deputy Mayor and Policy Chairs for the final 12 months of this Council, whether to allow the Orange Fun Fair (from Sydney-based Ace Attractions) to be held at the Showgrounds, if the Perry Oval amenities block should be demolished, and who should represent Council on a couple of external bodies (Orange360 being one of them). The OC Future City item is arguably the most important item on the agenda and perhaps the single most important issue for the future of our city over the next 20 years. There's also 7 items in closed, all of which deal with land sales or tenders. So a substantial agenda with a late night likely. To find out how to live stream it all (except items in closed), visit: https://www.orange.nsw.gov.au/meetings/live-stream/

18.01.2022 Happy World Peace Day everybody! https://www.un.org/en/observances/international-day-peace

18.01.2022 It was a honour listening to Mervyn Bishop at NAIDOC Week Opening today - first Aboriginal Australian to work on a metro daily newspaper and photographer extraordinaire who took that iconic shot of Vincent Lingiari and Gough Whitlam

18.01.2022 Visited Ridley Oval on Saturday and had a walk through with a local member of the community who would like to see some more trees planted, a few more seats along the path, rubbish bins installed and some general care and attention. It's quite a large green space in an important location between Palmer Street and Churchill Ave in Glenroi, and has lots of potential. Interested to know what you think and if you've ever used the area.

18.01.2022 Congratulations to Shane Rattenbury and his team for a great result for the Greens in the ACT Election ...

18.01.2022 Our newest Greens Senator is Lidia Thorpe from Victoria - here's a short intro video. And while she doesn't represent us directly, she'll be another strong voice in the Australian Parliament calling for meaningful action of climate change and for the rights of our First Nations people, among many other important environmental and social justice issues ...

17.01.2022 The Harmony Cup in on Sunday week (8th November) - first event of the local NAIDOC Week 2020. Program looks great and all welcome!

17.01.2022 Back on the BioBlitz, here are the top ten species that Council is suggesting you can look out for around Orange at this time of year ...

16.01.2022 This film screening is still 3 weeks away but if you're a carer or know someone who is, you may want to put it in the diary ...

15.01.2022 Always Will Always Will Be

15.01.2022 Just a reminder if you haven't seen it that Council's Climate Change Strategic Policy and Management Plan are out on public exhibition and it would be great to see some submissions from individuals and organisations on these important documents. Submissions close at 5pm on Friday, 12 March 2021. https://www.orange.nsw.gov.au/on-exhibition-for-comment/

15.01.2022 Doing Movember again and would love your support. The Mo is soon to emerge from the beard and will be encouraged to appear by your kind donation Mental health is always an important issue but even more so in this COVID year. All donations gratefully received and very easy to make at: https://au.movember.com/mospace/10262137

15.01.2022 End of another big working week finishing with two 'climate action' workshops back to back this morning - an ESCC workshop on Council's draft Climate Change Strategic Policy and Management Plan (community member input), and a Uni of Sydney (School of Rural Health) workshop on mental health community resilience and climate change. Both excellent - high quality input, positive and energising, despite the serious nature of the topic. Climate change has dropped off the mainstream media agenda to some extent but it hasn't gone away, and we do need to re-focus!

14.01.2022 Plans for an $8.9 million solar energy farm has been snubbed by council - with residents worried it'll become an eyesore. #9News | Weeknights from 5.30pm

14.01.2022 Today is National Threatened Species Day - really important reminder of the many species in this country that are at risk of extinction. As the NSW Environment website says: "Australia is home to more than 500,000 animal and plant species, many of which are found nowhere else in the world. Over the last 200 years, more than 100 animal and plant species have become extinct. In NSW alone there are close to 1000 animal and plant species at risk of extinction.... Threatened Species Day is when we turn the spotlight on native plants, animals, and ecosystems that are under threat and reflect on how we can protect them into the future." https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au//threatened-species-day.

13.01.2022 I put this up to Council meeting last Tuesday as a proposed motion for the LGNSW Annual Conference. It was adopted unanimously and will now proceed as an OCC motion to conference. Got a call on Friday from a Snowy Monaro Councillor who was sent the CWD article by LGNSW and she is very supportive. They have a number of Councillors who travel an hour or more each way to attend meetings - this is a real disincentive for some people to put their hands up. Online attendance at meetings would make the role of Councillor more accessible for a range of people in a variety of circumstances.

12.01.2022 A practical initiative in support of this year's NAIDOC Week theme would be the teaching of the true history of Australia and our First Nations people in all schools ... here's a petition you can sign in support https://www.change.org/p/australian-government-aborig/sign

12.01.2022 Here's a summary of what happened at last night's Council meeting. Happy to discuss anything with you if you'd like more detail.

12.01.2022 MSN Story on water and the drought featuring Kate Hook, ESCC member and founder of Futuring Orange, go Kate! https://www.msn.com//when-the-water-runs-dry-/ar-BB1aeiCl

11.01.2022 Here's a great challenge aimed at increasing awareness about how much water we use. As part of Orange's involvement in National Water Week, how about getting involved in Water Night on Thursday 22nd. Can you get by on one bucket of water between 5pm and 5am?

11.01.2022 Item 5.7 on the agenda for the Council meeting on Tuesday night is an important one - the 5 MW solar farm on Molong Road: - 80 submissions, 59 objections and 21 in support - capital value of just under $10M - 50 jobs during construction and 2 staff when operational - Infrastructure SEPP makes the solar farm permissible... - staff report concludes that on balance, the application is "adequate enough to receive a recommendation of approval" - as a regionally significant development, the approval is the Western Regional Planning Panel (not OCC) - but Councillors can decide to make a submission in support of the development, or opposed to it. This is the first large scale renewable energy project proposed for the Orange LGA, and prioritising the transition to renewable energy is the single most important thing we can do to combat climate change. I'm interested in your views on the DA - you can read the report starting on page 551 of the Council papers: https://www.orange.nsw.gov.au//meetings-and-minutes-archi/

11.01.2022 It would be good to see some sensible, rational input on this issue, to balance the uniformed "let's get rid of them" calls that are likely to come. I'd prefer to see the question framed as "how do we co-exist with these native animals that respects their threatened native species status", given that one of the main reasons why this has become an issue is that humans have destroyed much of their natural habitat.

11.01.2022 It was great to announce today that Melanie McDonell - Candidate for Orange City Council will be The Greens lead candidate for the Council elections in September next year. Mel is a passionate advocate for the environment and social justice and has been active in the local community for many years.

10.01.2022 Are you up for a challenge? How about having a go at reducing your household waste?

09.01.2022 Check out the Orange NAIDOC FB page to see all that's been happening locally during NAIDOC Week, the online talent show video is one of the highlights. Great to see so much going on despite the COVID restrictions on what was possible this year. https://www.facebook.com/NAIDOC-week-celebrations-Orange-NSW-311569672308845/

08.01.2022 Plans are proceeding for the Great Southern Bioblitz which is less than 3 weeks away (25 to 28 Sept). Mark it in the diary and look out for further details on how to get involved ...

07.01.2022 This is a great initiative by Council - opportunity for paid gig for local musos who've been doing it tough, live music for the community to enjoy and activation of the CBD as part of OC Future City - win win win!

07.01.2022 Farmers Markets on at the North Court for another 2 hours - big punnets of strawberries from Huntley Berry Farm for $5 just one of the good buys, and perfect weather for it!

06.01.2022 Just had a sneak preview of the new Inherit exhibit at the museum. Beautifully presented and choc full of interesting photos, objects and stories ... well worth a visit (or a number of them). Open to the public on Saturday. #orangemuseum

05.01.2022 Next Council meeting is this Tuesday night, March 2nd. There's three significant items IMO. 1. Item 2.2 in Planning and Development Committee - some proposed changes to LEP in Shiralee, mainly to reduce minimum lot sizes (MLS) in three areas between Park, Rifle Range and Shiralee Roads. 2. Item 2.1 in Sport & Rec Policy Committee - Glenroi Oval Masterplan (exciting next step in a process that Cr Hamling and I started in Dec 2019), and Item 5.2 in Council Meeting - endorsement of Future City proposals for McNamara St and Lords Place. You can check out all the papers at: https://www.orange.nsw.gov.au//meetings-and-minutes-archi/ Send me a message or give me a call if you want to chat about anything on the agenda!

04.01.2022 Thursday is World Suicide Prevention Day and the Orange Region Suicide Prevention Network is organising the event locally ...

04.01.2022 Farmers markets really well attended today. Quite a line up to sign in at the Covid desk. Just as well the social distancing marshall was on duty

01.01.2022 Both National NAIDOC Week and Orange's NAIDOC Week have moved from the dates originally set for 2020 and will coincide (8 to 15 November) for the first time in a long time. Unfortunately, due to Covid, a number of the traditional Orange events have been cancelled or are moving online. The Online Talent Show is an event the NAIDOC Week Committee is now organising and any help in promoting it would be greatly appreciated.

01.01.2022 Lease free (dog exercise) beach, e-bike share scheme and public art - nice touches making Newcastle more liveable! And that's what the OC Future City item (5.5) on the agenda for Tuesday's Council meeting is all about. One of the most important projects we have on the go.