Looking towards a healthy environment
Name: Raelene Telfer
Council: Councillor, City of Marion from November 2018 to November
2022
Formerly Councillor, City of Marion from November 2014 to November
2018, Councillor, City of Marion from May 2003 to November 2010. Councillor, City of Holdfast Bay, January 1997 to May 2003. Councillor and Alderman, City of Glenelg, May 1993 to January 1997.
Family and personal interests: My husband Jeff and I are in contact with son Ian, Mary, Felix and Lawrence in New Zealand. Our daughter Wendy, Nick Paltridge, Evelyn, Leon and Martin live on a farm near Mount Gambier. Some hobbies are my Marion library book club, settlement in this area of refugees and other new settlers and swimming. We are active Christians at Pilgrim Uniting Church. The Friends of Annie Doolan's Cottage and the Marion Historic Village Working Party share a commitment to keeping the stories of former Marion.
My Local Community: Living in a low energy house in Marion, we monitor our energy usage from our solar electricity cells, our water and electricity usage. I grow plant species in a water sustainable designed garden. These are the types of plants that originally grew in Marion before white settlement here. You will mainly see me on my bicycle riding to the local shops and to Council meetings. Bicycle is a great way to view the City of Marion roads, footpaths, trees and parks for fixtures that need some upgrade. As a community representative, I attended meetings on water issues to ensure water conservation and sharing - Murray Darling Association, SA Water Council and Urban Drought Reference Group. My lobbying for the Oaklands Wetlands to harvest stormwater, and its related return of usable water from the recharged aquifer has been successful.
Current challenges: My local community requires job opportunities and keeping all facilities and services running at a time when you are being squeezed by financial restrictions. The Oaklands Crossing Upgrade, will integrate with Marion Westfield, with the train going under the road. The State Aquatic Centre has been seven years of lobbying and planning and it is time to use this facility and its plaza in front to the maximum. Over and above water challenges, we plan to assist sympathetic urban renewal in local suburbs of the Housing Diversity Development Plan.
Occupation: Currently I spend a great deal of time on local issues, meeting you at community events. A former representative on the Local Government Association at State Executive, State Level Crossing Advisory Committee, SA Settlement Planning Committee and the water groups I have mentioned, I bring knowledge of statewide issues.
Former occupation: Teacher, Assistant accountant, Staff relations officer, Rehabilitation and Claims officer, Administrator.
Qualifications: Bachelor of Arts in English and Mathematics
Diploma of Teaching (Secondary General)
Graduate Diploma in Accounting
Graduate Diploma in Urban and Regional Planning.
My statement: Working with locals on local issues.
As your Warriparinga Ward Councillor, I care about and work in my local community. To get potholes mended, dangerous footpaths levelled and street trees planted to improve your street, I lodge customer service requests regularly. A regular team participant at Council meetings and civic functions, I bring wisdom and integrity to development assessment, strategic and financial planning. I enjoy meeting you at civic functions and learning about your homes, workplaces and community groups such as the Friends of Annie Doolan's Cottage. A town planner, I support the improved facilities at the Tonsley, Mitchell Park, and Club Marion hub, the State Aquatic and Marion Outdoor Swimming Centre and an improved Oaklands Crossing for vehicles. Redesigned streetscapes and open spaces in Sturt, Seacombe Heights, Mitchell Park, Tonsley and Clovelly Park are now a necessity. My environmental concerns include improving water conservation, retaining biodiversity throughout our green spaces, implementing the Sturt Linear Masterplan and planting more street trees.
Raelene Telfer
