The following questions were sent to every 2016 candidate for the Coffs Harbour City Council (with the exception of a couple with no locatable email address). We will shortly be publishing a summarised version on the results here, to help you use your vote for a climate-active council.
1. Coffs Harbour City Council’s Climate Change Policy, adopted in 2013, confirms Council’s commitment to:
Do you support this policy?
Strongly support / Support / Neutral / Disagree / Strongly disagree
2. RENEWABLE ENERGY
2a. Coffs Harbour City Council’s current targets for renewable energy are for Council’s own energy use to consist of 25% renewables by 2020, 50% renewables by 2025 and 100% renewables by 2030. Do you support these targets?
Targets should be higher / Support current targets / Targets should be lower / Not sure
2b. Do you agree that spending on renewable energy and energy efficiency measures is a high priority for Council, recognising that it is an “invest to save” approach and will benefit Council’s finances by reducing electricity bills?
Strongly agree / Agree / Neutral / Disagree / Strongly disagree
3. EMISSIONS REDUCTIONS
3a. Coffs Harbour City Council’s current targets for emissions reductions are to reduce per annum corporate emissions from 2010 levels by 25% by 2020 and by 50% by 2025. Do you support these targets?
Targets should be higher / Support current targets / Targets should be lower / Not sure
3b. We are yet to see a detailed Renewable Energy and Emissions Reduction Plan with clear, prioritized actions to achieve the above targets. What priority would you give to such a plan?
Top priority / Moderate priority / Low priority / Not sure / I don’t support this plan
3c. A pilot project in Byron Shire is currently creating a blueprint for least-cost 10-year zero emissions transition, covering energy, transport, buildings, waste and land use plans. [More information here] Would you support Coffs Harbour City Council adopting a similar, ambitious plan to transition the whole community to zero carbon pollution?
Strongly support / support / neutral / disagree / strongly disagree
4. TRANSPORT:
4a. “Coffs Harbour needs a public transport plan to help the community reduce emissions from transportation, as well as other benefits.”
Strongly agree / Agree / Neutral / Disagree / Strongly disagree
4b. “Additional bike paths should be a high priority for Council in the next four years.”
Strongly agree / Agree / Neutral / Disagree / Strongly disagree
4c. “Council should support a network of electrical vehicle charging stations, powered by solar, as well as other measures to support the uptake of electric vehicles.”
Strongly agree / Agree / Neutral / Disagree / Strongly disagree
5. WASTE: Waste collection and disposal is a major council cost with significant carbon emissions. What priority would you give a program to make the Coffs Harbour LGA a zero waste community? (This is a strategy of the Coffs Harbour 2030 Plan)
High priority / Moderate priority / Low priority / Not sure / Do not support
6. BIODIVERSITY / LAND USE: The Coffs Harbour 2030 Plan includes a goal to maintain biodiversity in a changing climate. Landscape corridors are a critical part of this, but the Landscape Corridor mapping was rejected by Council last year. What priority would you give to establishing planning for landscape corridors to support local biodiversity?
Strongly support / Support / Neutral / Not Supportive
7. COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT: [For background see here]
7A. Council’s current coastal hazards mapping uses sea level rise benchmarks from the State Government’s 2009 policy statement, based on conservative Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) predictions (likely 91cm increase by 2100). However, some residents have lobbied for lower sea level rise benchmarks. What is your position?
High priority / moderate / low priority / not sure / wait for direction from state government
8. DIVESTMENT: Across Australia, local Councils are joining churches, universities and individuals in a growing movement to remove their funds from banks and institutions which support the fossil fuel industry [see here]. Would you support a move to align Council’s money with its values and divest from fossil fuels?
Strongly agree / Agree / Neutral / Disagree / Strongly disagree
9. Please comment on any element of moving towards a more climate-friendly Coffs Harbour.
1. Coffs Harbour City Council’s Climate Change Policy, adopted in 2013, confirms Council’s commitment to:
- Reducing Council’s contribution to climate change and supporting the community to reduce their contribution to climate change.
- Adapting Council’s activities and services to become more resilient to climate change and realise the opportunities it provides.
- Working with the community to help build the resilience of our residents and local ecosystems to adapt to the effects of climate change.
Do you support this policy?
Strongly support / Support / Neutral / Disagree / Strongly disagree
2. RENEWABLE ENERGY
2a. Coffs Harbour City Council’s current targets for renewable energy are for Council’s own energy use to consist of 25% renewables by 2020, 50% renewables by 2025 and 100% renewables by 2030. Do you support these targets?
Targets should be higher / Support current targets / Targets should be lower / Not sure
2b. Do you agree that spending on renewable energy and energy efficiency measures is a high priority for Council, recognising that it is an “invest to save” approach and will benefit Council’s finances by reducing electricity bills?
Strongly agree / Agree / Neutral / Disagree / Strongly disagree
3. EMISSIONS REDUCTIONS
3a. Coffs Harbour City Council’s current targets for emissions reductions are to reduce per annum corporate emissions from 2010 levels by 25% by 2020 and by 50% by 2025. Do you support these targets?
Targets should be higher / Support current targets / Targets should be lower / Not sure
3b. We are yet to see a detailed Renewable Energy and Emissions Reduction Plan with clear, prioritized actions to achieve the above targets. What priority would you give to such a plan?
Top priority / Moderate priority / Low priority / Not sure / I don’t support this plan
3c. A pilot project in Byron Shire is currently creating a blueprint for least-cost 10-year zero emissions transition, covering energy, transport, buildings, waste and land use plans. [More information here] Would you support Coffs Harbour City Council adopting a similar, ambitious plan to transition the whole community to zero carbon pollution?
Strongly support / support / neutral / disagree / strongly disagree
4. TRANSPORT:
4a. “Coffs Harbour needs a public transport plan to help the community reduce emissions from transportation, as well as other benefits.”
Strongly agree / Agree / Neutral / Disagree / Strongly disagree
4b. “Additional bike paths should be a high priority for Council in the next four years.”
Strongly agree / Agree / Neutral / Disagree / Strongly disagree
4c. “Council should support a network of electrical vehicle charging stations, powered by solar, as well as other measures to support the uptake of electric vehicles.”
Strongly agree / Agree / Neutral / Disagree / Strongly disagree
5. WASTE: Waste collection and disposal is a major council cost with significant carbon emissions. What priority would you give a program to make the Coffs Harbour LGA a zero waste community? (This is a strategy of the Coffs Harbour 2030 Plan)
High priority / Moderate priority / Low priority / Not sure / Do not support
6. BIODIVERSITY / LAND USE: The Coffs Harbour 2030 Plan includes a goal to maintain biodiversity in a changing climate. Landscape corridors are a critical part of this, but the Landscape Corridor mapping was rejected by Council last year. What priority would you give to establishing planning for landscape corridors to support local biodiversity?
Strongly support / Support / Neutral / Not Supportive
7. COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT: [For background see here]
7A. Council’s current coastal hazards mapping uses sea level rise benchmarks from the State Government’s 2009 policy statement, based on conservative Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) predictions (likely 91cm increase by 2100). However, some residents have lobbied for lower sea level rise benchmarks. What is your position?
- Council should progress with the current benchmarks, and consider the possibility of higher rises, following the latest science (such as the 2016 study by James Hansen);
- The current benchmarks for sea level rise are adequate;
- Sea level rise benchmarks should be reduced for planning purposes;
- Not sure.
High priority / moderate / low priority / not sure / wait for direction from state government
8. DIVESTMENT: Across Australia, local Councils are joining churches, universities and individuals in a growing movement to remove their funds from banks and institutions which support the fossil fuel industry [see here]. Would you support a move to align Council’s money with its values and divest from fossil fuels?
Strongly agree / Agree / Neutral / Disagree / Strongly disagree
9. Please comment on any element of moving towards a more climate-friendly Coffs Harbour.