Response from Alex Bradley

1. Following the example of other similar councils across Australia, regarding action on climate change, what climate change mitigation and/or adaptation actions do you see as important for Gawler Council over the next 4 years? (For example https://www.resilientsouth.com)

I would be very interested to see a feasibility study undertaken to look at transitioning street lamps to LED. Looking at the results from a trial carried out in Ipswich, Queensland on 2,616 streetlights, they saw a reduction in C02 emissions of over 70%, and from an economic perspective a reduction in costs from $117k to $31k. The spent light globes are also free of heavy metals, and their functionality reduces light pollution.

2. Lots of residential development is happening in Gawler at the moment. Some concerns have been raised regarding subsequent financial and environmental impacts to the community and council, please describe your approach or concerns about the following two aspects: a) Ensuring, where possible, development incorporates sustainable design principles at design stage.

I believe a bigger focus needs to be placed on stormwater harvesting and where possible recharging our aquifers. Council should be leading the way with sustainable gardens designed for our changing climate.

b.) Ensuring that ongoing financial and energy inputs, to council (e.g. in maintenance of open space areas after hand-back to council) are considered at design stage.

A focus must be placed on the ongoing financial costs of open space maintenance at the design stage so that significant changes don’t need to be made after handover to council. Collaboration with community groups to determine if there would be an uptake in community gardens in new developments or current under-utilised open spaces. Anything we can do to help residents enjoy open spaces close to home without the need to drive can only be beneficial for the community as a whole both socially and environmentally.  

3. The future of sustainable food production and other rural uses in Gawler’s Rural Zone has been an issue for Gawler Council over recent years. Proposals include changing the Rural Zone to focus on more residential development. What do you see as the future for Gawler’s Rural Zone?

This is an emotive issue and I believe is intrinsically linked to Gawlers long term identity. It serves not only as an agricultural area but also a buffer from the continued sprawl from the northern part of Playford. If it were to be changed to have a more residential focus I would like to see low density development with larger blocks and open spaces. I would be interested in the possibility of collaborating with Playford Council in this area with their Managed Aquifer Recharge scheme.

4. Gawler has been a car reliant town, how would you encourage the adoption of sustainable transport options to help address Gawler’s traffic and car parking problems? (Eg. Footpaths suitable for bike trailers and prams, shade trees along footpaths, bicycle parking in the shopping precinct, water drinking fountains.)

The condition of footpaths is an issue in many parts of Gawler. Both young and old struggle due to sections lifting and a lack of lighting after dark. My wife struggled with the pram when walking and an elderly neighbour no longer walks to the closest deli, in part because of the condition of the footpath. Bike parking along Murray Street would not have to take a lot of space as the footpath is wide in many places.

5. Tell us about your ownpersonal initiatives to make your lifestyle sustainable.

We are avid recyclers at home with our children making use of the bottle recycling for pocket money! We also look to grow as much as we can from our vege patch and are lucky to have an underground rainwater tank large enough to sustain the vegies all year round. The compost bin is also very well used. With no natural gas available in our street we have recently replaced our hot water system with a heat pump set up. We are mindful of the waste that we generate as a family and I’m quite proud of the fact that as a family of four we have significantly reduced the amount of waste going in to our red bin each week by half.