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There are a wide range of views about this motion and I am pleased so many people in our community have shared their concerns and expectations with us as their local government elected members.
A few facts that need to be shared:
The Notice of Motion will be debated by the council when we reconvene on Monday 30th January. All elected members will be able to debate and vote on the motion.
The motion is not legislating, local governments do not legislate. Laws are made by State and Federal Governments.
Our State Government declared a climate emergency in 2022. The motion will bring the City of Onkaparinga into alignment with other Councils in SA who have made declarations since 2019:
Adelaide Hills Council
Alexandrina Council
City of Adelaide
City of Burnside
City of Campbelltown
City of Charles Sturt
Town of Gawler
City of Holdfast Bay
Light Regional Council
City of Mitcham
Mount Barker District Council
Rural City of Murray Bridge
City of Port Adelaide Enfield
City of Port Lincoln
City of Salisbury
City of Victor Harbor
The City of Onkaparinga acts to protect our environment for future generations, industry, commercial and community use and has a number of plans and processes in place for this. Should this motion be passed or not by elected members the Council will continue to do that.
The motion, if passed will not cause any legislation change, impact on the rights or behaviours of our community. The motion, if passed will impact on the way the Council considers decisions.
The motion, if lost will not change the fact that our community has been raising climate responses and calling for a declaration in various ways including directly to Council over the last decade.
The motion is an expression of what community members have been asking an elected member to bring to the chamber to debate and decide. All elected members are expected to do this in their role to represent the views of residents and bring forth their issues to their fellow elected members.
You can find more information about what the City of Onkaparinga is doing and some of the sources we draw our information on for decision-making on our website, including our Climate Change Response Plan 2022-27 and our Towards Zero Corporate Emissions Roadmap.
I respect and appreciate you joining in the debate, making your views known and participating in the democratic processes.
My number one priority, is we hold these important conversations as a community so everyone is safe and respects the democratic processes of participation. I will not tolerate behaviour that puts people’s physical and mental health at risk.
Below is the agenda item, which was included in the adjourned 17 January 2023 Council Meeting, for ease of information.
Moira Were AM
Mayor
Moira.Were@onkaparinga.sa.gov.au
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