Charles Rios – Libertarian Party, City of Parramatta

My parents are migrants from South America, built two homes in western Sydney, one we lost to floods and the other to the recession we had to have. I’m a first generation Australian, professionally I have an economics degree then later studied and practiced law. I’ve worked in Financial services since the mid 1990s and volunteered on community radio in Spanish, including SBS radio since the early 1990s. Family is super important to me, so am visiting my parents, grandchildren and adult daughter.

I love that prior to the pandemic, Parramatta and Constitution Hill was calm, peaceful, had several parks and fields that were generally in good repair. Moreover, it is in the geographic centre of Sydney, so I ride my motorcycle to the beach or the mountains in an hour. I would like to see greater personal responsibility and respect for individuals property rights.

The greatest issues we have in my area are:

1. Failure of council to fix roads properly along with the lack of sufficient parking. Poor roads are caused by an excess spending on bike lands and speed humps that choke traffic and damage residents vehicles. If we genuinely want to rid our areas of hoons, police must be responsive and present. Bike lanes are rarely used by cyclists even in the CBD, so are not required in the suburbs, moreover they result in loss of at least 50% of on street parking at residences. My mother has an injury, is unable to walk long distances, Parramatta councils increased plan for bike lanes immediately translates to less parking, so mum rarely goes out. I suspect other people are in a similar situation. I ride a motorbike and find that the roads are worse, more potholes that increase the risk to accident. There is no designated motorcycle parking, very little disabled or parents with prams parking, all because council is conducting a war on cars. I’ll be releasing evidence of this in the area soon on my facebook.

2. The decreasing size of bins and increase in rates is thanks to the existing mismanagement of the alp and greens councillors. Councils role is to collect our rubbish, if they reduce the size of bins, this will lead to more vermin, bin chickens and other scavengers that can and will lead to health and sanitation issues. Smaller bins result in less rubbish being taken, which should lower rates, but council are increasing rates. I’ll be releasing evidence of this in the area soon on my facebook.

3. Increased rates. It is a little known fact that “welcome to country” costs the council money. While it is a nice gesture, each one is upwards of $200, hidden in council budgets with innocuous names. If we don’t put an end to wasted spending, we’ll be paying more for all of these items and we get no real benefit. If we cut more items, we could easily deliver real cost of living relief at every quarter.

My key goal is to stop the woke policies that cost us all.

A) Our Roads need greater repair and if we focus on fixing what we have properly, it will last longer. Residents should be able to park in front of their home. Bike lanes are nice for cyclists, but if you drive a car, pay rego and ctp, you lose a lane to drive or park on, in short – we never really needed the bike lane anyway.

B) Rates can be cut if we are honest and true about where we spend. Every family budget has had to cut back, so government should do their bit. I’d like to see at least a realistic 10% cut across the board in Parramatta, it’s achievable with minimal pain but needs responsible adults in council.

C) Rubbish collection should remain with the large bins, vermin must be cleaned up so that it does not lead to a health crisis or infestation. One of Napoleons greatest achievements in Paris was the sewers as he recognised that the health of neighbourhoods contributed to prosperity. We should revert to the larger bins, not ones the size of a toilet

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