- Why do we need a people's Community Plan? Answer: Because we have no Council, the current 'Council' is under administration. All the former councillors were sacked in the Gosford / Wyong amalgamation. Therefore we have no democratic voice. This Plan is the voice of that community. This 'People's Community Plan is a fair-dinkum plan, written by ordinary people, shaped by ordinary people, reflecting the needs, life-style, caring, and economic needs of Central Coast residents.
- Why does the Plan include policies that are the responsibility of NSW and/or Federal Governments? Answer: Because Council cannot 'go into bat' for locals; families, pensioners, small business people, workers, local youth, a very fast internet, fast and efficient local public transport, environmental protections, local TAFE and economic growth in modern and sustainable industries, unless it knows what The People of the Central Coast want and need in these policy areas.
- Are you setting up another political party? Answer: No. We have no interest in dividing the parties. In fact, we recognise there are good people inside the parties. We want the good people who support all the parties, and Independents, to get together, to talk with one voice, to genuinely represent the Central Coast. The best way to represent local interests is to unite around common policy.
- OK...so the plan has been put together by 40+ people with voting histories from Independents, Liberal, Labor and Greens, but that is hardly The Community. How can you claim that your plan represents the wishes of The people of the Central Coast? Answer: The 40+ contributors have only produced a DRAFT. For the next 3 months we will visit many sporting, aged, youth, veterans, union, church and other organisations, and we will place our DRAFT online. People in the community will be asked to [a] contribute to The Plan [b] change The Plan [c] distribute The Plan widely ... in this way we will construct a genuine People's Community Plan that is not simply an extension of the State Government's plan for the Central Coast.
- Why is the Plan incomplete? Answer: It is a DRAFT plan for the big important issues on the Central Coast. It is not a Liberal plan. It is not a Labor plan, or a Greens plan or an Independents plan... it is a plan put together after 6 months of consultation and thinking, including 4 full days and 3 half days of workshops and meetings. So far, it is just a DRAFT for further community consultation and changes. You can contribute online or at one of our workshops. In early August this plan will be finalised and Council candidates that support its contents will be supported.
- Why is the DRAFT plan so big? Answers. Why does it have 18 major policy areas? Answer: the only elections where the people can vote for a local plan, is at local government elections. That is, elections for the Council. NSW elections, and Federal elections, are fought on national themes, not on a LOCAL picture of our 'preferred future'. NSW and Federal policies should fit into our 'PREFERRED FUTURE' but unless we have this complete LOCAL picture, we cannot be clear in what we ask for from NSW and Federal Governments. Our negotiating power is minimised! If we have a CLEAR AND FULL picture of what The People want for their Central Coast, then everyone, including the powerful Council, can ask and pressure the NSW and Federal Government for the services we need in roads, infrastructure, TAFE, university, Youth, NBN, trains, jobs on the coast ... hospitals, health, and so on. A united Community Plan written and endorsed by the people of the region can be used in powerful way by state and federal MPs to advocate for the community's wishes. That's the plan.