Natural Environment and Heritage: air is fresh, water is clean; a clean environment and community who cared about the environment; beaches;  beaches, bushland, open spaces; beautiful south coast as a whole; biodiversity hotspot; birds, space, frogs, water, lack of people, ocean (natural environment);cool weather, beach, country town; clean oceans, forests, wildflowers, presence of endangered wildlife - WRP, cockatoos etc; climate; easy access to beaches and bush; easy access to natural places/environment; environment and biodiversity; extraordinary biodiversity; flora and fauna; fresh air and green space; fresh air, clean water, good soil; geography and ecology; good nature reserves - e.g. Yakamia Forest and many others which needs protection and not to be cleared; I love O’Connor’s rich biodiversity, its range of climates from wet and temperate to hot and arid, its wildness in places, and its rich Aboriginal heritages; I love the good people of O’Connor and their appreciation for the enormous value of our environment; I love the rich heritage of the Goldfields, the farmlands of the Wheatbelt, and the majestic forests of the Great Southern; incredible natural world; it’s generally peaceful; it’s HUGE! limited disturbance; living in a rural area with bandicoots & ring-tailed possums; love environment and sense of space; many and diverse communities and bioregions; many Indigenous groups with strong connection to Country; natural beauty of the bush and the environment; natural beauty; coastal & bush, protected by National Parks; natural environment, connection to country; natural environment, good balance rural-urban, about right size sustainable population; nature and natural environments; nature, unspoiled beaches, bush ; natural ocean views; open ocean; physical environment; Princess Royal harbour - fishing and sailing; pristine places; space to breathe; the animals! so many wonderful birds, sea life, mammally critters; south coast coastal scenery; stunning natural environment; the beaches and forests; the beautiful coastline and surrounding areas; the beauty and variety of the landscapes: from the forest to the sea; the biodiversity and richness of our environments from oceans and forests to woodlands and desert; the climate, beaches and walking trails; the plant-life, the forestry and the biodiversity; the resilience and productivity of our farming communities; the beautiful natural forest and bushland and all the fascinating wildlife; the wide diversity of landscapes and communities; Torndirrup National Park; the amazing coastal areas and beaches; tranquillity / beauty of natural environment; unique pristine coastal and regional environment; what is left of the natural world is beautiful;

Community and Social Connection: a community which enables people to step forward, recognizing and valuing its members’ particular skills; a welcoming community whose members largely support one another; active social life/sharing; can be involved or on own – no judgement; children here are confident in themselves; community – genuine people – quiet and stress free; community – strong, friendly, rural people; community that is generally welcoming; cooler climate; council politics work pretty well (particularly compared with other places);easier to have a public role; familiarity with so many people, friendly atmosphere, close-knit ties; friendships stretching back decades; generally positive, co-operative community who show care through work and voluntary organisations; I feel safe here; I moved to Albany as it felt like a warm and welcoming community, the natural beauty of the area was a draw, the climate degradation of Perth forced us to make the decision to move as we had to evacuate multiple times; interesting, diverse people; know that if you go shopping you will see people you know down the street; natural environment; overlapping circles of people that can happen in a small place; people are tired but still plenty of energy to get things done; people have to come to us, not through us;  we generally all get along; multiculturalism is good for us all; people say hello; sense of community; small community support including funding for projects, events and technology upgrades; small places feel like home; smallness; people around me that I like; smaller community connections; socially connected; the people are friendly and community minded; the people; time to meet and talk; we find common ground in diversity;  caring for each other; people embrace newcomers; wonderful people;

Environmental Awareness and Responsibility: care about environment, let’s keep Albany clean; community valuing the environment; environmentally aware and active community; I feel connected to it; I love the natural environment in and around the city so I can enjoy the bush, as in Yakamia, and the beach every day - please preserve the bush so it is still standing; more easy access to this beauty is needed for aged, disabled & those in wheelchairs; need for more emphasis on renewable energy; noticing changes; profound beauty of this place, unique, and obligation that comes with that; regenerating biodiversity, valuing wildlife and living sustainably within it;

Lifestyle and Liveability: able to live simply and unstressed; access to local fruit, vegetables & meat; access to natural attractions; amazing fresh produce and wineries etc. on its doorsteps; being able to walk our dogs in beautiful beaches; best/second-best climate in Australia; blessed to be able to live well; clean air, friendly people, relaxed; better urban planning; improvement of our main roads; climate and 'almost' pristine environment; close enough to Perth without being too close; coastline, walking tracks, remnant habitats’ coffee shops, winery etc; cooler climate in summer; cosy lifestyle & cool weather; country town with access to essential shopping and services; far enough away from Perth and also close enough; farmers market, great food: farmers market; feel safe and secure; feel safe; free of big crowds; free parking; freedom and safety; get to live in a place we could never afford in Perth; great environment; great place to bring up families; great place to retire; hospital and medical services; I love Albany due to its size (small, friendly but big enough for excellent services), its environment (mountains to beaches), and its overall beauty; it’s a retreat/sanctuary - even though it’s not ‘convenient’ to live here (lack of shops etc);kids love it and love to come back; living in the Goldilocks zone; love the climate, small town feel, good services; love nature, space and the garden; many opportunities for an active life; natural beauty & lovely people; natural environment, community; need more infrastructure and businesses catering to tourists; no rush/bustle; no Sunday trading; not crowded; not stinking hot; not too many people; pace of life is very manageable and safe with adequate services; property not too expensive and can grow own food; quiet and safe; passive recreation - walking, hiking etc; pleasant weather; reasonable, but not brilliant, level of services; rural-urban interface; slower pace, great views, welcoming community, energy; small community; space, farmers market, good opportunity to live a pleasurable healthy life; the ability to be alone in quiet places, but paradoxically, seeing familiar faces around us; the almost complete lack of traffic lights in our whole electorate and ease of getting around to other communities; the diversity of the landscape, industries, people: the ease of access to our environment, our services, and our cultural events, and the high quality of what is on offer; the region’s natural attractions; the weather; the roundabouts; value schooling options; very good health system; wonderful people, community minded.

Arts and Culture: appreciation for and engagement in the arts; dining, theatre, and concert opportunities; freedom of creative expression; more food vans, music; good connection to music; local group of family and friends, value and use of the local hall; passion for the arts – visual, drama, music; the quality of arts, music, and creativity across our electorate; would like to see more creative activities including a standalone art gallery specialising in local art & artists;

Connection to Place and Environment: a financially sustainable, and ecologically regenerative region, where industry, environmental conservation/climate action, and communities balance each other; a resilient, connected community that is strongly and inextricably linked to the place we live; connection between people and our extraordinary environment/Country;

Social Connection and Cohesion:  a community which enables people to step forward, recognizing and valuing its members’ particular skills; a sense of community, being accepted and included in community; a strong identity built on shared goals and resilience; a welcoming community whose members largely support one another; areas like here where people are friendly and ‘up for a chat’; arts; our community does things for themselves – we are resourceful; common goals – decent human beings out to help each other; common goals; connection; connection with local Menang people; country lifestyle in a small city; friendly, welcoming; getting to know your neighbours; having fun together; honesty, support, transparency; in this age of "us the individual" and seeking happiness, refocusing on the greater good; knowing your neighbours; making it easy for locals with similar interests to connect using a variety of means (e.g., online and in person); opportunity to meet people; people have to work together; positivity towards community/volunteers; relationships; schools; sense of connection; slight distancing among groups but with shared connections; social connection; having a community that lets people dive in; sports; understanding of each other; volunteering together is an essential part of a strong community; welcoming;

Diversity and Inclusion:  a community which enables people to step forward; recognizing and valuing its members’ particular skills; a multicultural community is good thing, brings a diversity of views; a place where everyone is valued, especially the vulnerable – young children, frail aged; ability to bring people together to achieve a compromise; calling out racism; diverse thinking; diversity – acceptance of a mix of people; diversity of people and ideas; equal opportunity; feeling safe; freedom; inclusion; justice across ethnicities and genders; no excessive inequality; opportunity to express opinions and follow different paths safely; options for accessibility/inclusion; people can speak their mind – no ‘them and us’; representation of minority groups; representation of other groups; respect for different groups; respect for other people’s choices and values – we don’t marginalise people who aren’t like us – embrace the difference; respectful, inclusive engagement; social equity; support from community pushing back against not-so-nice things; support when times are tough;

Engagement and Participation: community engagement in local issues; community events bring people together; community events that foster belonging and engagement; community is created by people’s actions - volunteering; diversity of events/access; events serve to weave people together; events that bring people together; having a community headquarters/hall; high volunteerism/ doing something for others/ active participation & mutual support; keeping young people; kids’ sport, emergency service groups; online connections – community/international; open and honest connection with local government; people engaged in their democracy; physical spaces to meet that don’t involve alcohol; places for people to come together - farmers market as an example; Progress Association provides an umbrella under which many groups can operate; sport, artistic community; sporting groups; support for local business ;surf club as a good example – common cause, multigenerational, doing something for other people, volunteering; volunteering ethos - joining groups to get things done - welcoming; volunteering opportunities;

(the feedback that follows is from listening posts in Albany. We hope to add thoughts from more communities over time)

Environment: ease off the glyphosate - rally community around responsible weed management; attention to coastal erosion; open land which is ready to build on; designate Yakamia Forest as a conservation reserve to fully protect it; active commitment (including the funding) to protect natural/biodiversity assets -e.g. increase Reserves and Ranger teams; maintain and increase urban tree canopy; less focus on fossil fuel promoting events such as motorspots (archaic); divest from corporate partnerships the harm the environment - such as Rio Tinto and Woodside Nippers at Surf Club; protect existing native vegetation, such as Yakamia Forest and expand habitat corridors; no development or clearing of native vegetation - only on the plentiful existing cleared land;  please do not push down any more natural bush for development; there is already a lot of cleared land if any more housing is needed; entry fees to National Parks - seem very high; a Council that placed biodiversity at the forefront with a clear, targeted plan to stop all areas of development such as Yakamia that have high biodiversity; address issues such as increased weather events that result in flooding; far better environmental awareness; a higher conservation value in preserving what we already have: i.e. native vegetation, important aboriginal cultural sites & the historical areas since settlement; trying to keep existing native vegetation – not developing or clearing to make housing; use already cleared land for this purpose; care for our environment; need for more emphasis on renewable energy;

Town Planning: active transport, less car dependent, shouldn’t grow too much more; more eco-villages and community gardens, less suburban sprawl and double garages; new development areas of Albany North and North McKail to be more liveable; public open spaces; green corridors; higher density housing mix near commercial shopping centres; the town centre is too congested with traffic - create more commercial shopping centres in suburbs to reduce resident's need to travel to the CBD; only build house, roads and industry on existing cleared land; no threat of trans-shipping; rail line to Perth; 40km limit on tourist route around Marine Drive; no fishing at 2 little coves at Emu Point on KGS side – it’s a young kids and grannies place and don't need all the fish hooks, guts, rubbish and shark attractants; more & better parking; development of the foreshore – art galleries, coffee bars etc; less cars in the main CBD; Albany not very pedestrian / bike friendly - even new infrastructure (e.g. Aberdeen bike path) has not been well designed so it actually works for bikes / pedestrians; improve York Street; redevelop / reinvigorate the High Street; 50m swimming pool; don’t spoil it! carefully consider development; rail link with Perth; need more infrastructure and businesses catering to tourists; better urban planning; improvement of our main roads; small community support including funding for projects, events and technology upgrades;

Liveability and Lifestyle: accessibility and inclusivity for aged/disability in public facilities - i.e. ALAC - no hydro pool; visible support for people with lower income; help for homeless people; more easy access to our beautiful bush and beaches is needed for aged, disabled & those in wheelchairs; more 1 & 2 bedroom houses for young people to afford; active participation with social housing - especially the crisis for older women's safe housing, e.g. 1 & 2 bedroom units well located in walking distance to services - e.g. Spencer Park near shops; more shops open on York Street; to have effective control of hoon activity both in the town and out of town - especially beaches; plenty of opportunities for discussion between people with contrasting views & experiences; more public transport; would like to see more creative activities including a standalone art gallery specialising in local art & artists; freedom of creative expression; more food vans, music etc;

Accountability and Transparency: a person who is capable of sustained responses to community concerns; environmental awareness; listening to community concerns; independent - willing to take sustainability and environment into consideration; firm towards state and federal governments - put residents before developers; innovative;  to truly listen and act on the wishes of community groups who are passionate about issues; take action to protect our local environment because all residents breathe air and want a cool climate to live in; our councillors must protect native vegetation for future generations to inherit; someone who listens with intent to act positively on the points raised; working for the majority of the community, not just the monied and people of influence; visibility across local issues; listening to community – all ages & avenues of life; someone who LISTENS! Not someone who is there for their own agenda.!! takes time to consider; open to all ideas; non-political; getting out & about to community events; a good representative is the one telling the truth; a good representative unites their electorate, they focus on what matters and what we all have in common, they don't wage culture war to distract from economic and environmental issues, they don't sell out the vulnerable to line their own pockets; a strong voice; community engagement & clear communication without spin; gives feedback; consults with community re policies; transparency; incorruptibility; independence from corporate influence; integrity, respect for the community; integrity; lack of spin; straight talking; honesty; open-mindedness; representative is accountable to their community; staying connected; transparency of connections to business; true community engagement: meeting everyday people not just meeting key stakeholders and key party members; representing the will of the people when the need arises; having the ability to connect to people with likeminded people and services; trustworthy; truth, integrity and moral fibre; visible decision-making and actions; visits to regional areas/ community meetings (candidate or a representative);

Intergenerational Thinking: a focus on inclusivity, ensuring all voices are heard and valued; a region with political representation where the community can actively participate; addressing climate change; a local who looks at the long term for life and nature, keeping the balance of natural bush and building on already cleared land; responsive, progressive, willing to change & address pressing environmental issues that are resulting from climate change; a recognition that the natural environment in Albany is unique and requires urgent protection; better representation for diverse communities within the electorate; big picture, long-term planning, decisions based on science and factual | bold, truthful and not populous; end to career politicians; engage youth in politics; focusing on the long term for the benefit of future generations; freedom to make up their own minds on issues;  getting into the community and listening; representatives who are interested in voters, not just their party and career; independent in representing the people they are elected to represent; independent members who are not aligned to factional or vested interests and are prepared to address the difficult issues; independent thinking;  leaders who are more consultative;  listening to electorate; need a vision;  not just a focus on winning the next election; longer terms - three-year cycle is too short and often don’t even go the full three years; not party political; open minded; representation that works with and for the community; representatives who prioritize the environment; representation that supports diverse ideas and collaboration; prepared to think outside the box & listen to ideas that are rare or left of field; prioritise common good over personal/party interest; proactive in local, state and federal issues; representatives who really listen to electors and advocate strongly for their electorate; research, evidence based decision making; someone from the other side of the tracks; someone who listens and is thoughtful and informed; someone who will stand up for local issues & not just toe the party line; someone who will stand up for the environment and social justice; the willingness to represent all factions of their electorate regardless of the alluring call of donations or promises of consulting jobs after their service; we need electoral laws that preference the interests of the community rather than the interests of political parties; we need our local member to step up when issues affecting the electorate arise, rather than staying quiet, especially when it may be politically controversial or difficult; willing and able to engage youth in politics;

Personal Attributes: a candidate who has worked or has been in business would be more helpful; a person who has lived on a low wage and understands what it’s like; a sense of responsibility to future generations; a willingness to admit they are wrong, and their opponents are right; ability to respond to misinformation and disinformation; answers questions directly; approachable, good listener, decent, works hard in the electorate; authentic; beholden to no one; being real, authentic, not living in a white tower; being authentic and objective; being willing to change their view; collaborative, willing to share; compassion and empathy; compassion; compassion; conviction & ability to stand up for community concerns; courage of convictions; courage; depth of character; friendly, open; genuine; good solid qualities that line up with God’s word; has clear goal/ intention – ‘this is what I stand for’; honest, reliable, trustworthy, humble; honesty, humour, respect, inclusive of all peoples, good listener; honesty and integrity; honesty, caring, approachable; honesty, empathy and courage; honest, loyal, trust[worthy]; honesty, well-informed, integrity, secular, very secular, objectivity; humility; independent thinker; integrity; integrity, respect for all, good listener; intelligent, open minded, practical and logical; interested in lots of stories and wide range of demographics; kindness; kindness; kindness; leadership; life experience; more consultative; more diversity; multilingual (which brings with it an ability to see different perspectives);must want to represent the people, not a party; open, honest, transparent and listener; openness; passion, positive change maker; prepared to compromise; prepared to resist bullying; present; proactive; responsive; self-awareness; smart; someone who listens and is not motivated by power; someone who listens, cares and is kind - safe seats often create arrogance in members; someone younger; standing up for the community; straight to the point; up front; takes no prisoners; uncertainty, intellectual humility, never being quite sure of yourself, open to doubt; understands they represent a complex and diverse community. i.e. is available to all constituents; visible and accessible; vision; willingness to consult with the community, to represent community views in government, to initiate consultation; wisdom;

Listening and Communication Skills: a person who will listen; a willingness and an ability to listen; ability to explain complex ideas; approachability; availability to be seen out and about; being aware, meeting people around town and not just at events; go back to grass roots - less technology; good communicator; good listener; good listener; good listening skills; listening well and respectfully responsive; listens with empathy; prepared to listen to the other side; responsive ability to take criticism; someone who can speak well and communicate; taking the local voice to government; wanting to talk;

Civility in Parliament: better behaviour in Parliament; leaders who embody the ground rules of respectful collaboration and dialogue; more acceptable standards (e.g., Question Time and treatment of Community Independents);

Yes – Few; No - Most

The Political System: a good representative should have the needs of his/her constituents in mind always; address the racial divide exhibited during the recent Voice referendum; as a general comment, we have faith in the political system and the AEC (a lot better than the US); current representation is entrenched, with no political competition (a "safe seat"); degree of complacency  when it comes to politics at all levels; desire for a mindset shift toward more positivity and connection; grew up thinking everyone’s vote is equal, but your vote is not equal and this is very dangerous; I'd like to see this mindset change to more positivity and connection; improve representation and cohesion within the diversity of our community; lack of creative problem-solving for complex issues; O'Connor is the size of South Africa; the racial divide exhibited at the recent Voice referendum needs to be addressed; two-party system inherently flawed; would be nice to have a party like the Democrats of old (Don Chipp—keeping the bastards honest);

Representative Effectiveness:  a local Federal member in opposition means little opportunity for O’Connor to benefit; at the state level, Albany has a good representative (pre-2025 election); I know who the representatives are, and they are not totally unapproachable, but their views are not mine; I usually contact Senators instead of my Federal member because I know he won’t listen; lack of creative problem solving for complex issues; local community organisation is good; local government level offers opportunities to speak directly to the council; local issues could be better represented; representative who realises that once elected they are representing the whole community – not one party or a single issue; sad that local activists need to find ways to represent our voices in parliament and doing the job that our local member should be doing; State-level representative is responsive and open, particularly in Denmark (though this may differ at the other end of the electorate) (pre-2025 election); to a certain extent because we are well supported here for aged care & terminal illness;

Engagement and Responsiveness: all through emails; at a state level in some aspects Albany is ok regionally but rural representation is questionable; at local government election level I think one counsellor is great, at state and federal level I feel parties are in business for themselves; can’t remember the last time our MP visited our community -  we are a safe Federal seat and don’t get visits.;  we are so far away – no voice at all; City of Albany does fairly well; Federal, not in the slightest.- the member is invisible at important community events; State: very good, active, turns up to things; disability representation is lacking; Federal: No, only available through computer contact, State: Yes (pre-2025 election);feel unheard; feels like a waste of time to try and get involved; hard to contact MPs and then you get fluffy responses; locally – access to councillors is good; more contact would be good on a personal basis; never a positive from the local members; no longer face to face; no longer personal; one person (business background) was happy with access to the local Federal member;  another person has emailed and sent letter, with questions, and received no response; representative doesn’t do a very good job of representing me; the WA Premier has a property on Balingup-Nannup Road and we’ve never met him; they are contactable; they are hearing but not listening—no action unless aligned with personal or party interests; too busy attending events and brand-marketing gatherings instead of addressing uncomfortable social issues; unlikely to receive a positive response; voice not represented; we have a voice but don’t know how to get it heard -  you write to an MP and get placatory letters in response;

Honesty and Transparency: accountability beyond the ballot box; carrot and stick; evidence of fighting for community in the council chamber/party room; honesty and openness; mechanisms for accountability; more community participation in discussion of issues; more transparency in government as an institution; mutual respect – we respect them, and they respect us; not leaving parliament and going straight to work in lobby companies; plain speaking; representatives need to drop their egos; register of financial interests exists, would be good to have something as well more like a register of other interests, lobby area interests; threaten not to vote for them; transparency; trust; truth;

Long-Term Thinking:  intergenerational interest – how to make things happen; make some hard decisions – negative gearing has had its time – addressing the big issues that are feeding inequality; use privilege to find solutions;

Engagement with Constituents: being able to have dialogue even though we don’t agree; actively helping people to find a way forward; asking community members for input; being in touch with community; being more accessible; better communication and genuine consultation on community issues; big gatherings; collaboration, share knowledge, partnership to come up with solutions; community forums (that are accessible); Community Resource Centres could do more outreach; connection with community; connection; conversation; decision-making based on sound information and proper engagement; don’t want discussion about big issues - prefer to have a chat; easy access; effective/empowered staff in every representatives office; email updates – or monthly updates on zoom; end the politics of meanness and division so we understand that enhancing the lives of the marginalised benefits us all; engage the community in a dialogue about major issues of our time—climate change, environmental damage, citizenship; every 3-6 months, MP or their representative visits the community; feedback – if a person submits a question, representative keeps them informed what action he/she has taken – send a copy of the Hansard; feedback from politicians to communities; getting out to community events; going around to regions; hold open meetings once a quarter (held by the Member or their representative) to tell people what they’ve done in the past 3 months - not everyone is on computer – older people prefer face to face; involve community in developing policies (focus groups/ community meetings);involvement with community events; it can be virtually impossible to get an audience with a politician in power; listening to teachers and kids - children demand honesty; “Manage up” – community forms an opinion/idea and is prepared to put the idea into action,  puts the idea ‘up’ to the representative so they know what we want and can lobby for it; more direct relationship; more presence in the community; more regular meetings with constituents; no generic emails; pro-active engagement; raising questions in parliament on behalf of constituents (can only submit one question without notice to state parliament but can submit unlimited questions with notice);representative having more presence; representatives keeping in touch with electorate and being accessible to electors by attending local meetings such as resident and ratepayers meetings, accepting emails; responsiveness; stop lecturing us ;townhall meetings with local representatives; townhall events; townhall meetings, reaching who you can; two-way interaction; want my MP (or representatives) to visit my community, ‘In the Park’ street meetings, give us updates, have a chat. Volunteers shouldn’t have to go to them - they are the ones who get paid!  Come in person is perfect, but online is an option;

Innovative and Inclusive Mechanisms: better participation and literacy in community governance; Citizens Assembly; need a network that can feed back to the local member that the local member can respond to; Nick Xenophon was sensationalist but got attention; online townhall meetings (with virtual eggs and tomatoes, as well as the hearts); THINK BIG - constituencies based on community/economy/common interests with small populations for multiple representatives each with a proportional vote that adds up to 1 (Hare – Clark); Voices groups throughout the electorate would be more representative than existing Party branches; VOOC (and other groups) fact-checking and correcting mis/disinformation; voter education; we need ideas on how our O’Connor MP can better connect to the electorate as it is the largest electorate in Australia; young people never watch TV - we follow news on Facebook; younger generations more likely to be involved with online townhall meetings;

Practical Challenges and Considerations: travel and time away in Canberra, distances around electorates, very hard on representatives’ families;

Social Equity and Inclusion: a bit culturally narrow – white & Anglo; Albany is so white; being more accommodating of visitors; communities being stuck in bubbles; community disconnection due to influences on the internet; despairing of divisions/partisanship; diminishing tolerance; disability access, access to toilet ramps, scooters bog in gravel and sand; education & equitable access for all, for youth & mature age; education system in crisis - families need support, emotional literacy; health care - funding for aged mental health; fascism, racism and discrimination, particularly for women, people of colour and LGBTQI+ people; food supply: fruit, veg & local meat: small farms are unable to access butcher and unable to sell melons etc; ghettoisation of affordable social/community housing; helping those who cannot help themselves; homelessness; I would love more multicultural city; increase in homelessness because there are too many Air B&Bs and not enough rentals; interlibrary loans - no longer able to access State library; it’s challenging to find appropriate work in regional communities; jobs and encouraging diversity of industry away from agriculture and mining; lack of activities for younger generation as well as mature people who would like more arts, theatre, wine bars that stay open beyond 9pm;lack of Indigenous representation; middle class; multicultural community is a good thing, brings a diversity of views; need for better inclusivity of marginalized people; need more to be done to bring in and retain younger people; one vote one value has done and enormous dis-service to regional areas; our education system is becoming saturated in other responsibilities rather than core principles; our justice system needs fresh ideas; racism/sexism/ageism (all the isms); rough sleepers; small towns do not receive as much as bigger towns; uneven distribution of money; social inequity; sub-standard education in small schools; not enough focus on basic literacy and maths; treating everyone kindly; greed; caring about all of the community; very white;

Climate and Environmental Sustainability: access to and conservation of natural resources and commons; air pollution; came for holidays and now live here—so it’s why a lot of people are here; care of our environment – water; climate change; climate change; climate change; climate change; climate change;  support for smaller rural communities; land management-fire management prescribed burning; climate change; trees down, water reliability, all very visual at the moment; controlled (prescribed) burning, need for cool (Indigenous) burning; damaging effects of “proscribed burning” in our forests; decarbonisation and economy and society and helping community groups achieve this; environment: land-care management, climate, trading gently on the land; environment; environment; environmental degradation; excessive land clearing; fire – reducing material on council property; funding for environmental organizations and education; funding for tip shops and education around waste prevention and resource recovery; impact of the Southdown magnetite mine; lack of funding and long-term management of Stirling Ranges national park; lack of understanding of climate change/impact on rural areas - city people don’t understand beef/sheep farmers/ how they work; looking after our natural assets; loss of peat wetlands; managing health of waterways by limiting the poisons going into them; mining; need for more action on retaining open spaces; no new industries to bring in money; noise pollution; ocean; our environment; over-tourism - too many visitors for the infrastructure; visitors abusing our environment; poor management of our water resources – a mine at Wellstead accessing our ground water; port; reducing emissions; reef; re-evaluating our goals to better suit modern challenges; responding to and preparing for future climate; threat of mining; water resilience;

Housing and Infrastructure: absence of planning framework for renewables; access to affordable housing; affordable housing; affordable housing;  Albany highway needs serious upgrades; Albany Highway to Perth is a disgrace in some places & needs to be upgraded; Albany’s population should increase, but not at the expense of the environment; better air connections to Albany; a 5 start resort or hotel to attract visitors; driving business development of Albany; better internet coverage; better phone coverage along the highway; better public transport to Perth and surrounds to reduce the reliance on private cars; Denmark changes as a town over summer: influx, overcrowding, and congestion; ensure population increase does not harm the environment (e.g., water, wetlands); flexible shop trading hours; frequent loss of power; funding for the underlying infrastructure; growth; housing and poverty; housing options; I would love the council to be better informed environmentally and make better decisions, like not spreading weeds while grading; I would love to see passenger trains reintroduced; improving public transport and services to smaller communities; lack of affordable housing; lack of emphasis on providing social housing; lack of mobile coverage for the length of Albany highway; local airline; local government – red tape, excessive documentation, employees not working together;  lack of transparency – proposed projects are published in a manner that means one really has to look for it;  migration and its impact on resources and community; more involvement with CoA emergency management planning; more public transport; need a vision for a better coordinated, connected city that is more welcoming; need for Albany highway upgrade; need for good urban planning/more sympathetic urban design; need to address issues in ways that protect the environment while enabling development; poor placement of development/infrastructure; population increases and future traffic; problems with Air B&B - taking houses away from the rental market; reinstate passenger rail services; rezoning land - lack of transparency in process; road/rail infrastructure is inadequate; State and local planning regulations holding back development; tiny housing options; too much unsympathetic design; transport; type of housing not fit-for-purpose; unmanaged growth, social and cultural inequality, lack of investment in the environment; urbanisation, poor planning, standardised uniform “death waiting room” approach for planning for retirees;

Health and Wellbeing: access to quality health care providers and support; better medical/imaging services; community health and access to healthcare and housing; cost of living, adequate health and allied health services for all; drug addiction; food security; funding for arts and education; health & education, family violence; aged care; health issues, lack of specialists in the region, need more specialists based down here; home births: unable to access; inadequate mental health services - the cost of not addressing mental health is more than addressing the issue; prevalence of family and domestic violence and its inter-generational impact; spending excessive on Parking at hospital & Albany CBD; too much focus on fixing problems instead of preventing them e.g.  no funding for alternative therapies to keep people healthy; not enough funding to stop youth from becoming criminals;

Community Connection and Trust: at community meetings see lots of older people; apathy by younger ones who are too busy or think they can’t change things; community groups are not listened to; councillors pay lip service to community wishes; councils don’t support smaller towns; decision making process is not transparent; decisions are made in Perth by people who don’t understand rural needs; despairing of divisions/partisanship; engaging with the community is done badly; failure of proper consultation; government is city-centric; lack of authoritative/ true facts - community have trouble discerning between truth and lies; hard to understand bureaucratic terminology (that’s why we go to Facebook – it’s easier to understand; lack of representation; lack of trust; lack support for community groups and small businesses; leaders don’t listen/ poor communication; local council have one or two power brokers – not all councillors feel heard;  CEO has all the power – councillors just rubber stamp; local government not transparent; lots of apathy; mistreatment of refugees – blaming refugees for housing shortages and for community problems and using these issues as divisive techniques in the community; need for better community representation, less party politics; need for connection; need to change apathy in community; no regional voice in State parliament; people in positions of power not having the skills/capabilities to handle/address conflicting interests; people in positions of power or with wealth not having the interests of people at heart; people need more effective voice in local government; poor transparency in decision making process/contracts (why is there no ‘get out’ clause if a company fails to manage the land);regional electorates forgotten; the State makes decisions and ‘rolls over’ local communities with poor/ no consultation;U16 social media; underrated local council – doing real work that you can see; voter apathy; voting for local council not compulsory and should be; WALGA has too much influence; would be nice for community to be able to vote on big/high value projects before they go ahead;

Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability:  angry about what we are bequeathing to our children; better climate-change preparedness, utilizing more First Nations land management practices; climate change - we have a decade at best to do something; climate change is going to make a big difference—let's not be in denial; climate change will destroy us on our current path, and our representatives are at best spineless and worse complicit in the destruction of our country; climate change; developing the necessary infrastructure and services to support population growth; energy – nuclear; wind turbine; energy debate – concerns about nuclear/windfarms/solar; energy mix; ensure climate-change preparedness, especially with climate migrations likely; environment playing second fiddle to everything else; environmental issues – approving more mines and gas; EPA fees for lodging objections are becoming prohibitive for citizens; fast-tracking climate action; make the supply of fresh water in the Great Southern more reliable; more active care for Country and increased understanding of its ancient, fragile nature; nuclear option being wound up again; redirection of mining royalties & taxes to directly fund solutions to the problems they create; renewable energy – lack of consultation; supporting farmers and climate-dependent businesses in adapting to the future; WA Government is undermining Federal Government efforts to strengthen environmental protection law;

Future Vision and Leadership: a lack of vision—current politics is about addressing issues as they arise rather than planning ahead; absence of bipartisanship; absence of evidence-based decision-making; absence of investment into new industries; adversarial politics; best interest of the country isn’t part of the equation; big money in politics; both State and Federal are driven by private enterprise; change of government wastes money squashing last government’s projects; corporate and big money/business influence in politics and local decision-making; disrespectful to one another; don’t follow politics because they promise stuff they know they can’t achieve; Federal government prioritises eastern states; Gaza – living through genocide, powerlessness of onlookers, can’t sit back and do nothing; Governments spend too much money on the wrong things; I am totally removed from Federal politics - they are too removed; lack of commonality across different levels of government; lack of courage to look ahead; lack of representation; lack transparency; long time since we’ve had a politician think beyond the next election; major parties appear to be working together to protect their position; MPs too far removed from the people - ruler/slave mentality; no conscience vote in the two major parties; Parliament dominated by eastern states; platform of housing next election; politicians not listening to the CSIRO or taking evidence-based approaches; politicians not taking advice from scientists; race to the bottom; referendum result – precipitating division, shows how far we have not gone; rising global conflict, being tethered through AUKUS to an increasingly unstable America; rusted-on voters; sense of entitlement – people only care about themselves; sense that current governments at all levels are not taking serious steps on all the big issues facing us; short term in office; some candidates have good understanding but others are just ‘numbers for the party’ and represent Party not electorate; State Capture; States are money oriented and not responsive to small communities; the Opposition automatically opposes whatever policy is put up by the government – system doesn’t work; the Senate was created to ensure the States are represented equally but has been captured by the Parties; the sheer size makes it a hard place to represent; the two Party system is a disgrace - politicians behave badly, childish, set a bad example for our kids; too much band-aiding; two party system not working at all; used to believe governments could do something; want elected members to be more representative; we can complain as much as we like but it won’t change anything; we expect the government to lie - not be honest;

Economic Inequality and Cost of Living: bar too high for access to drought relief; cost of living a symptom of something else—monopolistic economy, few competitors, e.g., supermarket profits; cost of living—feeding a family, rising Shire rates, car service costs doubling, wages stagnating; family and domestic violence issues persist at all levels; farmers don’t get paid properly for the food they are producing; housing is an investment; I’m worried about the cost of living - no time to waste on politics; immigration – taking up housing from citizens; immigration; it is the hardest it’s been to be a young Australian and that is felt amongst my peers - we all feel doom - and some I know have given up completely; jobseeker unliveable; lack of accessibility to resources and support; lack of incentive for housing development; massive amounts of wealth, not wages; mean wage in town is less than the mean mortgage; MPs paid too much; NDIS not accessible; not wealthy, no problem getting by, but something very wrong for young people not to be getting by, feel bad for them; poverty and housing; property vacancies; rent-to-buy; sole parent, Shire rates up $400 from last year, car service doubled, wages not going up, feeling the squeeze; solutions too far into the future; vacant properties; young people struggling to get by; wealth inequality - we have a handful of people collectively "worth" more than nations;

Social Justice and Inclusion: abolition of the Community Development Employment Program – disaster for communities like Warburton which did not have community services and few jobs and successfully managed their own community under the CDEP; access to NDIS; banks closing – big problem for older people; COVID fractured the community; discrimination—race, gender, ability; education system; funding/access to education; national discourse on borders reframed away from protection of asylum seekers;  NDIS still not working; no more for-profit but for the public good; nuclear sites on sacred sites, another blow for Indigenous people; people who have the least power and skills are being mistreated and abused by the system; percentage of young people in NT who are being incarcerated for being black; political donations are leading to State Capture; racism seated in a lack of education and awareness; same issues with family violence as at the local level; services (e.g. disability) are available but you have to search them out - nobody tells you; terrible behaviour towards refugees; welfare services are inadequate;

Media and Public Discourse: big parties ‘play dirty’ - don’t like that; l ack of civilised debate – ‘them and us’;  parties don’t offer pros and cons for people to make informed decisions; media has been bought by major corporations – need journalistic freedom and truth in reporting; misinformation; politicians oversimplify issues; social media—needs more control and to ban algorithms; standard of ABC has gone down – not enough international reporting; truth in reporting and advertising; we need more truth in media and Facebook. 50% of people (at this Kitchen Table) don’t watch the news;

Indigenous Representation and Empowerment: more awareness of Noongar history; more Indigenous visibility; restore First Peoples’ self-determination, including empowerment to access/manage their traditional lands; social justice for First Nations People; truth-telling;

Sustainability and Climate Action:  a climate dashboard to promote measures that reduce environmental impact and mitigate climate change; better climate-change preparedness; better use of cultural burning to protect forest and woodlands; care for our environment with an eye to the future; climate-change preparedness for northern climate migrants; designated green corridors within communities; firm legislative commitment to net zero by 2030; focus on addressing climate change, decarbonizing our economy, and leading the rest of Australia to do the same; greater emphasis on protecting existing mature trees; neighbourhood projects; plan for population growth with an environment-first approach; reduce emissions to net zero; smaller community-led initiatives have advantages; strong EPA and EPBCA laws - urgent need for nature positive laws; sustainable agricultural practices; taxation based on how much pollution/carbon individuals and businesses cause;

Housing and Cost of Living: address cost-of-living pressures with equitable measures; affordable housing that is also sustainable and minimises environmental impacts; all new houses to have minimum standards of amenity including installation of water tanks; better health and educational access for smaller communities; cost of living—somehow index to family size, relief of some kind; deal with negative gearing, remove perks, franking credits; equitable access - make sure people can access the services they are entitled to; food kitchens—safety net for homeless; funding for water tanks for every dwelling, not just those who have knowledge and ability to apply; housing for living in, not holidays or wealth creation; improve renter’s rights; more affordable housing and mandate that prevents housing greed; people who come to kitchen tables are privileged because we have homes - lack of housing/ homelessness is a major issue; policies that encourage investment in houses for rent; reduce military spending and better support veterans; repeal negative gearing; school breakfasts; school health programs; Universal Basic Income (UBI) to enable people to have control and to live healthier lives; water conservation needs to be built into the design of new structures;

Governance and Political Reform: 4-year terms with a fixed election date for the Federal election; a clear vision for the country; accessibility – face to face; accessibility to candidate principles; appoint a non-politician as Speaker ( e.g. a Judge);better funding of Government schools; better participation and literacy in community governance; changes to adoption laws regarding biological ancestry; changes to legislation; citizens assemblies—sortition selection; citizens juries/assemblies; citizens juries; local government councillors who reflect the demographics of the City; don’t leave it to politicians—example of Denmark (the country) with community-led wind farm initiatives; education; encouraging people to become more politically active; encouraging preferential voting; e-petitions; every vote in Parliament should be a conscience vote - open, not secret;  must have a system where MP can vote in accordance with electorate wishes; genuine citizen consultation; give the voice back to the people; going to an Independent gets results - they are more likely to respond; have financial limit on election spending (both in donations and expenditure) - any surplus should go to a fund to help people; Hawke-era style consensus-building (e.g. 1983 National Economic Summit); I don’t like any of the major parties - I only vote to avoid the fine - none are worth my vote; I’d like to see someone in the middle who isn’t as bad; ideas & policies developed by the people; innovative policies which are not knee-jerk reactions; keeping discussions open; large electorate: more representatives for country people; less red tape for community groups and individuals; listening to people, e.g., about tax changes (reform);lobbyists reined-in; lying to the electorate and corruption become grounds for dismissal from office; make communication with politicians at all levels easier; mandatory scrutineering; more joined-up thinking—between government levels and between government agencies; more members of the community should join/infiltrate parties so we can influence their decisions; more open, less insular thinking; more support for teachers, education for parents; need at least 3 major parties so 2 can’t monopolise; need candidates with a positive approach – we CAN fix this… and we need plenty of them! need debates – program that show key points for and against an issue; need more bi-partisanship – parties that can compromise and reconcile themselves; need more than two major parties; need quality people who give a voice to the community; open to all ideas; people need to contact local MPs offices more often - they pay attention to emails and phone calls; policies based on evidence; political donations to be further curtailed and made public in real time; preferencing – summary of preferences; protests; public funding for elections; referendums more regularly and in line with state/federal elections ;restore manufacturing industry; restore the Community Development Employment Program; speak truth to electors; talking to people; there’s a strong community developing - looking at ways to work outside the system, something they can control; to shift the needle, we need to completely break the old regime of two parties and take the conversation away from old ideas; townhall meetings; voter education; we are sliding into terror because of the cowardice of the centre and the emboldening of the far-right; what we’d like, is a good relationship between Federal and the community - where an MP is available and says ‘hey, I’m here’ and the community contributes solutions;

Education and Youth Empowerment: 16-year-olds voting, with optional voting at the lower age perhaps; incentives for health professionals and artisans to train young people; incentives for health professionals to be based in smaller communities; more coverage of the way democracy works in the school curriculum; need more visual communication - young people don’t read reports; opportunities to broaden personal experiences; provide a better-informed electorate about climate change, environmental damage, and rights of citizenship; revise the school curriculum to prepare young people to be able to participate and contribute to society; train young people in skilled trades and provide apprenticeships;