Name of ticket or independent: Team Hamling ticket – Group C.

Are you a mayoral candidate? No.

Are you currently an Orange councillor? No.

Age: 45.

Family: Wife: Holly. Three children: Hannah (25) Henry (12) and William (10), all born in Orange.

What do you do for a living? Small business owner.

How long have you lived in Orange? 16 years.

What is the best part of living in Orange? The best part of living in Orange is our wonderful seasons, the spirit of community and inclusion, and its location, with easy access to both Sydney and Canberra.

Why are you running for Orange City Council? I’d love to make more of a difference to this awesome city. It’s the right time of life for me to channel energy into making a positive contribution for our future Orange citizens.

How would you assess the performance of the current council? I think our recent councils have done a pretty good job of putting Orange on the map. If you glance over all the serial whinging people love to do about any government authority, you’d have to say we’re actually one of the most vibrant and successful regional cities in NSW. Having said that, it’s time for some fresh ideas and a new injection of energy.

If elected, would you lobby to reduce, maintain or raise rates? If you would reduce them, which services or council undertakings would you eliminate to do so? At this stage I would support a rate freeze, based on the fact council candidates do not have access to council staff or budgets at this time. I think it would be foolish to campaign for a rate rise or rate cut until I had all of the information at my disposal. Any local government authority has to be focused on rates, roads and rubbish. It’s about provision of services, not petty politics.

Council has budgeted $17 million for roadworks in the next road-building season. Is this enough? Which roads should get priority? I think a lot of the bad press around roadworks in Orange has stemmed from a lack of communication about the future plan, combined with an almost unforeseeable amount of rainfall last winter that decimated the roads and put council staff under huge pressure. The four year roads plan is a public document that residents should be across before forming an opinion. Team Hamling is campaigning for a roads and footpath register, where residents can have their say on which roads and footpaths are in worst repair, allowing council staff to prioritise them on that basis.

What is your plan for the Northern Distributor Road? I think enough ratepayers’ money has been spent on the NDR, and the next council should be lobbying the State Government to take ownership of what is essentially a bypass.

Do you agree with the industrial re-zoning at Orange airport? What should the space be used for in the future? I would love to see the industrial zoning at the airport lean towards clean, green technology-based industries. The runway has been upgraded to take big planes, and this should be a positive not just for tourism, but for industries who wish to relocate here to enrich our city. Why couldn’t Orange become a mini Silicon Valley? We’re placed well geographically, and we already have some amazing businesses doing amazing things. Allow them to grow further with an incredible tech-hub.

What specific uses for the former Electrolux factory will you pursue or support? The building is privately owned, but I believe council needs to participate heavily in the process of attracting another manufacturer or industry that can utilise the site and create more local jobs. Team Hamling has floated the idea of a regional culinary school, backed by council but championed by industry. Perhaps this site could be adapted for such a re-use.

Do you agree with real estate agents and property developers being on council? Why or why not? This is an interesting topic which attracts a lot of attention due to the criminal dealings of a few big city councils. Here in Orange we currently have two real estate agents on council, one of whom was a bookshop owner when he was elected and had a career change, and is now stepping down from council.  If we exclude any type of occupation from being eligible for government, where does it stop? Builders? Event managers? Winery owners? Mining industry workers? Company directors? Anyone with a perceived conflict of interest? That could be half the town. The residents will decide who they want on council when they vote on September 9.

What are the best ways council can help businesses prosper in the city? Working in conjunction with Orange Business Chamber and thought leaders from various industries, communication and transparency will be the key to success. Council should nurture business while continuing to monitor their impact on our community, the environment and the local economy. Provision of services should be our key focus, while allowing business an open door for support and advice.

Is there enough parking in Orange? If not, where should additional car parks be constructed? The big pressure point is obviously the Health Service site, but we’re pretty lucky in Orange. After 16 years I don’t feel as though I’ve been put under too much stress from parking woes, but this is a topic that should be continually monitored and reviewed. As the population grows, we will definitely need more spaces, and businesses need to think about their impact on parking, depending on the type of industry, and where is sits. The next council should be planning for the future population, not today’s numbers.

Do you support the proposed purpose-built sporting complex council has acquired land for to the north of the city? I fully support this proposal, pending all of the environmental impact statements and community consultation. Our children are spending far too much time on digital devices in my opinion, and the promotion of a healthy lifestyle through provision of services is the best message any local government authority can send. It will come back to us in spades, in terms of health outcomes for our community.

Are there any major projects you would champion if you elected? Team Hamling’s centrepiece is perhaps the development of a regional culinary school to support the hugely popular food and wine industry that has (along with our orchardists and farmers) helped make Orange a burgeoning destination for tourists and tree-changers. The service component of our food and wine industry is the achilles heel of the sector. If we could raise the bar even further, we would not only create local jobs and attract more families, but raise this local industry to world’s best practice.