"The Home of Cycling in SA"

This Friday 21st January the Tour Down Under, Stage 4, starts from Norwood. This day is particularly special because not only do we get the see the world's best racing cyclists take off from the Parade at 11 a.m., we are also hosting the sunrise start of the Mutual Community Challenge Tour at 6.30 a.m. This is significant because this is the race that is open to any rider who wishes to have a go. The participation rate has continually grown since its inception in 2003 and this year more than 8000 people are expected to ride.

I am personally very excited to see the popularity of cycling growing in SA, not just as an elite sport but as an everyday activity that a huge section of our community can take part in, at a wide range of levels. I hope to see our culture adapting to accept bicycle users of every ability, and for the whole gamut of reasons that people may choose to ride a bike.

Even more encouraging is to see from the most recent NPSP Council Meeting (Council Meeting Agenda 17/1/11 page 2, Item 9.1) that the Mayor Robert Bria has proposed that the Council acknowledge the Norwood Cycling Club for its contribution to cycling in South Australia and Australia by commissioning an historic sign post and a cultural walk plaque.

In conjunction with this year's Tour Down Under, the Council is promoting Norwood as "the Home of Cycling in SA".

Acknowledging the historical contributions of Norwood Cycling Club is likely to be just one of many actions that the Council may take in the upcoming years to promote and encourage cycling as a valuable and practical mode of transport, recreation and healthy activity. In the context of sustainability and reducing carbon emissions, it is clear that the bicycle has a large role to play in our future.

Both myself and the Council's newly appointed Sustainability Officer Kelly Overeem have attended the Australian Cycling Conference this week. (I was attending on behalf of the Bicycle Institute of SA in my capacity as Secretary). This was a conference aimed squarely at urban planners, transport planners, stakeholders from the Transport, Public Health and Recreation sectors,  and local and state government policy makers.

The Conference presented a wealth of practical ideas combined with long time vision that I hope the City of Norwood Payneham & St Peters will be able to integrate into its planning and development, and in the process take the position of "leader", not "follower" as it works to truly make Norwood the home of cycling in SA.

Congratulations to my fellow Councillors

Now that a few days have passed and I am getting my breath back, I would like to take this opportunity to extend my congratulations to all my colleagues on the NPSP Council, and my sincere thanks to every candidate who ran in the election. Without people willing to nominate and give it a go, our democracy is meaningless.

As a Councillor, I will be involved with the entire Norwood Payneham & St Peters city, but I will be the particular representative for the residents and businesses of my ward, along with my fellow ward councillors Vincent Tarzia and Connie Granozio. Please feel free to talk to myself, or Vincent or Connie, about anything to do with your neighbourhood. We are here to be a bridge between the people and the Council, to be your voice.

I would like to extend my congratulations to the Mayor, Robert Bria. We will be getting to know each other very well over the next four years, and working closely together. Mr Bria has suggested the creation of a new public space on the Parade and increased funding for public art, which I am very supportive of.
The Council has already started some commendable sustainability and water-harvesting initiatives, particularly with the Dunstone Grove/Linde Reserve redevelopment. I hope that I may be able to contribute to and work with the Mayor and Council in improving the sustainability practices and infrastructure of the City so that Norwood Payneham & St Peters can become a world class example of a thriving social and ecological community.


 I am very excited to be on the team, and I am looking forward to a productive four years on Council.

My Policies in more detail - text from my Policy Brochure

Detailed Policy Brochure, Sophia MacRae

I believe that all Councils benefit from having fresh, energetic, enthusiastic and committed people on their team. I believe in innovative, integrated long-term think that develops the synergy between the Council and the community.

I am committed to living with my family in this area for the long term. I will continue to be active in my community with my volunteer work. My professional work as a teacher and musician keeps me continually engaged with people young and old. 

If elected to Norwood Payneham & St Peters Council, I commit to being available and accountable to all constituents.

Are you concerned about traffic safety?

Our children and our elderly need to negotiate the roads and footpaths safely as they move around the neighbourhood. We all need safe roads. Council plays a huge role in improving safety for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians. As a parent who commutes with my son on my bicycle, and walks to childcare and the shops, I have a particular interest in traffic safety, and if elected I will work with Council to ensure that safety for all is given the attention and resources it demands.

Do you want pleasant public space and access to community gardens?

By maintaining and enhancing facilities such as playgrounds, parks, cultural centres, community gardens and community noticeboards, the Council can encourage people to get involved in activities in their neighbourhood, which benefits the health and well-being of everyone in the community. Norwood Payneham & St Peters is blessed with a variety of beautiful communal spaces, and I want to help people make the most of them.

Do you want more support from Council regarding water and waste management?

Waste management is a key sustainability issue for our city. I believe that the recycling of organic waste is something that bears more consideration and consultation with the community. I would like to see more incentives for on-site composting of organic waste, and the assisted uptake of “Bokashi” bins for those without gardens.

I am also committed to water management and will work with the Council and residents to conserve water and to prevent waste run-off from polluting our stormwater. Better urban and residential design and assistance to residents for purchasing tanks and other basic infrastructure will improve our ability to retain the water in our city.

Do you care about trees and supporting our urban ecology?

I am committed to preserving our city's bio-diversity. The health of our community is linked to the health of our natural environment. The trees that line our streets, parks and wetlands are a haven for native birds and other life, and are vital to the bio-diversity of our urban surroundings. Council needs to be responsible and pro-active regarding the planting and maintenance of trees, and the management of native wildlife. If elected to Council, I will work to ensure that the proposed changes to the “Significant Tree” legislation do not adversely affect our residents or the amenity of our city. I will also work to rehabilitate the four creeks that run through our city.

Do you want to see the heritage character of NPSP preserved?

Sensitive, appropriate urban development is essential in order to retain the valuable heritage character of Norwood Payneham & St Peters. Flexibility and support are required from Council to ensure that rate payers are not overburdened with the expenses of maintaining old dwellings.

If elected, I will endeavour to see that Council operates an open channel for community consultation to ensure a healthy mix of heritage and well-designed contemporary buildings for NPSP.

Do you want to save money on energy and water?

Water and energy conservation is an important issue for all South Australians. Intelligent urban planning, utilising best-practise design principles, can greatly enhance our ability to use energy and water more efficiently. I aim to work effectively to encourage water-sensitive urban planning in our public spaces and to encourage developers to implement energy-efficient building materials and techniques in our city.

Do you love the culture of our city?

I am a qualified musician who has been teaching, performing and managing professional arts events for over twenty years. As a musician I have experienced first-hand the value of community spirit and openness, and how being involved in the arts benefits the vitality and heath of our community. Norwood Payneham & St Peters is well known for its involvement with the arts and cultural events. If elected, I will work to enhance this, and make the arts even more accessible to everyone.

 Are you concerned about fiscal responsibility and accountability from your Council?  

  

If elected to the Norwood Payneham & St Peters Council, I will be accessible and accountable to everyone in the community, and I'll be working hard to keep your rates as low as possible. 

I support local businesses, and want every dollar spent in our community to stay in our community for as long as possible, to create shared prosperity.

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 We all deserve to live in a pleasant neighbourhood where things just work well.

The Council is there to serve you.

I will demand effective programs and services for you.

I will ensure real community consultation, using the technology of today’s world.

Norwood Payneham & St Peters is already a great place to live, and I'm determined to make it even better.

Public Talk

This is a reminder about my public talk this Wednesday 20th, 6pm-7pm at the Maylands Hotel.

I'll be talking about my experience up in Far North Queensland at the 10th Australasian Permaculture Convergence. Permaculture is a systems design method that is based on ecological principles, that started with agricultural applications in the 1970's in Tasmania, but is now practiced all over the world, and includes urban design applications that are very relevant to areas such as Norwood Payneham & St Peters.

No RSVP required, and the Maylands serves a good meal if you wish to stick around.

Hope to see some of you there.

Ride to Work Day

Wednesday October 13th was National Ride to Work Day.

As many people know, a terrible thing happened on this day. A cyclist on his way to work was killed as he was negotiating a lane change on a busy road.

Sadly, this is not a unique occurance. Five cyclists have now been killed on our roads this year. As of 14th Oct 2010, 12 pedestrians had been killed (figures from SAPOL) and a total of 92 people had lost their lives on South Australian roads. Regarding serious injuries, this year 881 people have been seriously injured, 62 of those are cyclists, 86 are pedestrians.

When cycling advocates talk about improving cycling safety, the benefits go beyond the bicycle users, they extend to everyone in the community. If road conditions and driver behaviours are safer for cyclists, they will likely be safer for pedestrians, and all other road users.

I am an advocate for bicycle users and pedestrians. Through my associations and activism, I am working with others to improve the safety of more vulnerable road users. 

We are fortunate in Norwood Payneham & St Peters to not have major highways running through our council area. But people are being killed and injured on all types of roads. How long will we accept this blood price that we pay every year for the percieved convenience of our current transport paradigm?

Several things need to happen. Roads need to be designed better, so that more vulnerable users are safer. All road users need to be educated better regarding the responsibility that goes with using such a potentially destructive tool. All levels of government have to work together. Real and practical alternatives to using cars need to be in place.

Finally, individuals have to say, enough is enough. Instead of blaming the victim for being there, or sadly shrugging our shoulders and saying "Accidents happen", or blaming the offending driver without looking at the societal paradigm that makes car ownership and driving with a sense of entitlement the norm, let's change the paradigm, and make our transport system one that is designed for humans, not machines.

Platform and Policy

I am running for NPSP Council on a platform of practical sustainability, improved traffic safety and facilities  for pedestrians and bicycle users, and accountability and access of the Council to the community.

Everyone who lives in the area, regardless of whether they are young or old, sick or well, home-owners or renters, in or out of the workforce, deserves to have a neighbourhood that is pleasant to live in and where everything works well.
Everyone deserves to have a Council that is working hard for them with the long term in mind, continuing to make Norwood Payneham & St Peters a great place to live.
Everyone deserves to feel that their Council is listening and available.

My key areas of focus are:

• traffic safety and improving facilities for pedestrians and bicycle users
• public space and community gardens
• water and waste management
• preservation of trees and urban bio-diversity
• preservation of heritage
• intelligent urban planning that utilises best practice design in energy and water efficiency and capture
• maintaining and enhancing a vibrant arts culture
• keeping rates affordable and ensuring fiscal responsibility

A more detailed statement outlining these policies will follow shortly.

I sincerely welcome any suggestions and feedback. Please email me sophianpsp@gmail.com or call me 0411 755 677 or write a short letter to 3/18 Williams Ave, St Morris SA 5068

Back home in SA

I got back from Kuranda, Far North Queensland, last Wednesday 29th September, from the 10th Australasian Permaculture Convergence, which was a wonderful and very productive experience. It was a gathering of very smart, thoughtful and dedicated people who are interested in ACTION, more than simply talking. Permaculture is the application of design principles based in ecology that enable people to live comfortably and productively within the context of their environment. It applies to agriculture, urban environments and also human social structures.

The Adelaide contingent at APC10, Kuranda: l-r Lachlan McKenzie, Kim Hill, Anne-Marie Brookman, Sophia MacRae, Pedro D, Eric Nicholson, Harry Harrison, Stephen Poole, Graham Brookman
absent: Clee Tonkin

 The Bushy Beard contingent at APC10, Kuranda: l-r Pete the Permie, Costa Georgiadis, Harry Harrison

I will be giving a public talk on Wednesday 20th September from 6pm-7pm at the Maylands Hotel, to share some of what I learned at the Convergence, and to answer any other questions and listen to what people have to say!

Sustainable House Day

On Sunday 12th September I went along to see a wonderful property in St Peters that was one of the featured houses in Sustainable House Day 2010 . Marianne Frommer and John Sved hosted a continuous stream of visitors through their native garden and raised veggie beds and their very cleverly designed house. Marianne and John took advantage of the natural aspects of the block to design their house so it uses minimal energy and water, but is comfortable and welcoming.

I am very interested in finding ways to make it easier for people to build, renovate, retrofit and adapt their houses so that they can utilise the wealth of knowledge that is out there for living in a more energy and water efficient and cost effective manner.

Photos by Aaron Neilson