(Post Newspapers - 22 Nov 2024) By BRET CHRISTIAN.
Cottesloe has a community independent candidate for the state election next March.
Mosman Park doctor Rachel Horncastle said she was surprised to be asked to run after being invited to coffee by members of the 100-strong group seeking an independent candidate.
An admirer of Kate Chaney, the federal member for Curtin, she said it was an opportunity to “stand up from being a couch complainer and make a difference”.
“Without wanting to sound too naff, I really want to do my absolute utmost to help my local community and also to improve the state of the world in any way I can,” Dr Horncastle said.
She and her husband, also a GP, have lived in the electorate, first in Cottesloe for 22 years then in Mosman Park, since arriving from England in 1994.
Their two children are both studying for medical-related degrees.
The state seat of Cottesloe includes the area from North Fremantle to south City Beach, incorporating Mosman Park, Cottesloe, Peppermint Grove, Claremont and Mt Claremont.
Cottesloe was the only metro seat won by the Liberals at the last election, David Honey fending off a 10% swing to hold it by a margin of 7.4%.
The Liberal Party is confident of holding it next year with candidate Sandra Brewer.
Dr Horncastle said an enthusiastic group of 150 people turned up at Rodney’s bar in Mosman Park for a recent get-together.
“Quite a lot of people are not engaged in politics and that’s as a result of this two-party system,” she said.
“We aim to re-engage people and to have them find faith again.
“Independent politicians want to really do things differently and actually genuinely represent a community.”
The independent group held surveys, polls, multiple chats and coffee morning catch-ups to judge the three main issues of concern to the electorate.
These were sustainable housing, health including mental health, and the environment and climate.
Top of the list was solutions to the housing crisis, without imposing unsuitable high-rise on unwilling communities.
“We need to get away from this idea of anti-development or pro development, Dr Horncastle said. “We all need to come together and work on a solution.
“What we need is more state housing – housing that is bought, paid for by the state, that is sensibly planned and done in genuine consultation with the community.
“We certainly don’t want mega high rises, and there’s a limit to how many ultra luxe apartments are needed.”
A revival of the medium density codes that incorporate lots of tree planting and green spaces were alternatives to the treeless heat-sinks.
“We all recognise the need for infill and for more housing (because) there is the housing crisis nationally, in fact, internationally,” she said.
“But the government has stripped communities of their voices, disregarded local concerns and dismissed legitimate feedback by calling residents NIMBYs.
“Property developers have far too much influence on WA politics, giving millions to both parties, hand-picking candidates then supporting them.”
She did not shy away from singling out opponent Sandra Brewer, who moved from her job as a paid lobbyist for the property development industry to displace David Honey as Liberal candidate for Cottesloe.
“I don’t want to bad mouth anybody, but I would love POST readers to be aware of the links that my opponent has with the property industry,” she said.
“That’s partly why I’m calling for a complete ban on political donations from property developers in WA."
“It’s actually illegal in NSW, Queensland and the ACT.”
She would not accept developer donations.
She said COVID was long gone, but those planning laws that exclude community opinion had not been repealed.
“We also need to support our ailing health system,” she said
“As a GP working at the coalface, I see first-hand too many people, especially young people, are falling through the cracks and struggling to access the care they need when they need it.
“I’m seeing incredibly long waiting times that have blown out horrendously, for access to specialist care, paediatrics, particularly developmental paediatrics, and psychiatry."
“For our young people, and girls in particular, social media is very, very harmful. For a while there, people were talking correlation, but now causation is absolutely indisputable.”
Dr Horncastle said the environment, including safeguarding beaches, tree canopy and biodiversity, was another priority.
“We’re so very lucky to live in such a beautiful part of the world, but we must protect the Cottesloe electorate and WA’s unique environment and natural assets,” she said.
“The rest of the world is going gangbusters in terms of progressing green economies, addressing the challenges of climate change with bold, practical and economically rational solutions.
“Wouldn’t it be wonderful for us to be able to lead the world in the green economy, especially with all our resources, making batteries, exporting batteries, and also to have the most canopied city in Australia, instead of the least? We only have 16% tree canopy here.”
She refuted the notion that independent candidates could not achieve anything.
“I know that is a common criticism, but it’s not valid. Independent members of federal parliament have made a huge difference.
“They have held politicians to account, they’ve brought in legislation, they’ve amended legislation and improved the government of our country without a doubt."
“I was so inspired by Kate Chaney and so excited to come across a politician who had such genuine integrity and honesty, and was very keen to do politics differently."
“I so feel she has delivered on that, and continues to deliver on that."
“She’s incredibly hard working, so smart, so committed, and really cares about her community.”
She said the group had not spoken to Climate 200, run by Simon Holmes a Court, that came in late as a big donor to the Chaney campaign.