Announcing my team and our vision for the Hawkesbury

We’ve been continuing to letterbox around the district in the lead up to polling day. Team member Zed visited Yarramundi with our fliers. We’ve also done remaining areas of Kurrajong Hills, Oakville and Pitt Town today. ... See MoreSee Less

14 hours ago

For many Hawkesbury families, our rating system has become very unfair.
The State Government Rating Manual says that Councils should be mindful of both 'use of services' and 'ability to pay' as guidelines in setting rates.
Meaning - similar families, enjoying similar services from Council, and of similar income and demography, should be paying similar rates.

Despite this, the majority bloc on this Council set about putting through changes to the rating formula, and a rate hike that have more than doubled many properties' rates - vastly disproportionate to either access or ability.

You'll hear plenty of excuses about land value and of new capital works programs, but the rebuttal is simple: If you could do something to take the edge off unfair rates and, far from doing so, you made matters worse, you get to wear the blame.
And for those communities who have borne the brunt of the rate rise, how much of that new road maintenance money are you seeing in your street? Not much i'm guessing.

I opposed the Special Rate Variation of 31%. I opposed their change to the 'Base Rate' which made distortions in land value more acute in the formula. I opposed their abolition of the Rural Residential category.
Reform back to a fairer system is possible, but only if we change the complexion of the elected Chamber.

councillorzamprogno.info/fairer-rating-system/ ... See MoreSee Less

1 day ago

Exploring every corner of the Hawkesbury is one of the pleasures of campaigning. Today my team and I letterboxed Ebenezer and Sackville. What a beautiful part of the world.

We’re asking for your support through your vote for GROUP ‘A’ ... See MoreSee Less

3 days ago

At the beginning of this term, Councillors were able to vote on Development Applications. This is as it should be, as we are democratically accountable to you.

Councillors live in this community and understand your concerns. We balanced the requests of applicants with the broader public good – the very purpose for which elected chambers exist. If DA approval was exclusively a box-ticking exercise, why elect a Council at all?

That changed when the State Government took away most elected Sydney Council's ability to vote on DA's in 2017, and replaced them with 'Planning Panels'. I felt it was a retrograde step. I strongly lamented the erosion of democracy and accountability.

As a result, many DA's are now approved that the community have little awareness of. Appeals are not permitted. A majority of appointees to Panels are made by the Minister. Only one community representative is allowed.

Although these people may possess eminent subject expertise in planning, they are not accountable to the voting public. In most cases they don't even live in the area.

My Liberal colleagues on Council declined to join me in expressing concern, even though Liberals in many other Councils were appalled. Worse, Clr Tree moved in 2017 to ask the State Government to expand the panel to cover us, Blue Mountains, and Penrith – meaning it would be even less local or attuned to our needs.

I invite all voters to agree with me in opposing these panels.
You have a principled alternative in me.
Please support me and my team through a vote for GROUP 'A' at these elections.

I've appeared many times in the media about Planning Panels. Here's where I've stood:
councillorzamprogno.info/?s=planning+panels ... See MoreSee Less

3 days ago

My son joined me on the campaign trail at pre-poll yesterday. I couldn’t do this without my team! ... See MoreSee Less

4 days ago

Most of us want to protect the things that make the Hawkesbury a special place to live. Most of us.

But finding a balance between job opportunities, housing affordability and the other things we value - things like our open spaces and semi-rural amenity - is hard.

I and my team completely oppose the kind of barely controlled, appallingly designed subdivisions that have eaten the areas on our doorstep, whole.

But we do support:

✅ Granny Flats: A more reasonable policy for allowing acreage landowners to put secondary dwellings or detached dual occupancies on their land

✅ Design excellence principles: A set of guidelines in our planning rules that make our built environment places we can be proud of - sustainable, connected and leafy

✅ Infrastructure first: When we must build, we will demand that State and Federal governments do their bit and provide necessary infrastructure first - not a decade later

I’ve written and spoken more about the topic of development than any other thing during this term of Council. Please review my position and support us at the coming election.

Vote for Group ‘A’

councillorzamprogno.info/?s=development ... See MoreSee Less

4 days ago

Warragamba Dam is spilling today. Again. Some degree of flooding is being warned by the BOM – hopefully minor this time.
Our community has to live with the river, and we endure the greatest unmitigated flood risk in the nation.

If you think we should do something about this, then it's important to vote at these elections for people who will push for action, and not sit on their hands.

I've been a staunch advocate for increased flood safety, including raising Warragamba Dam, for years.

Learn more:
councillorzamprogno.info/?s=warragamba ... See MoreSee Less

5 days ago

PAID ADVERTISING CONTENT
Incumbent Hawkesbury City Councillor, Nathan Zamprogno’s ticket has drawn Group ‘A’ on the ballot paper.

Elected as a Liberal five years ago, but now standing at the head of an independent ticket, Nathan feels that many voters were looking for a safe alternative to the major parties.

“The Hawkesbury is largely a Liberal-leaning electorate, but the one thing I’ve heard over this term is that people expect their Council representatives to be above party politics.”

Nathan’s approach to Council has been very public-facing, with a website, YouTube channel and large social media following. He explains his training as a HSC technology teacher was a skillset he was happy to bring into the political realm.
“People have responded positively to me actually engaging with them, using videos and articles to explain the complex Council issues that affect them. Frankly, I’m surprised that the other Councillors don’t feel an obligation to do the same. Most people barely know who represents them.”

Nathan and his team have laid out a platform that includes support for raising Warragamba Dam, opposing inappropriate development, and reform of Council’s planning codes to permit granny flats on acreage properties.

He says that a hot-button issue is Council’s poor record of customer service, pointing to Hawkesbury’s D.A approval times that are twice as long as some neighbouring Councils.
“People are sick of endless delays, and then finding Council moves the goalposts on them. We have landowners by the river who have waited six months for approval to do urgent erosion protection works after the last flood and all they got is red tape. Now the next flood may be on its way.”

Nathan also warns voters to number multiple squares, above or below the line to maximise their voting power. “Don’t fall for the ‘one and done’ advice the major parties are recommending on their how-to-votes.

Nathan’s information is at his Facebook page Councillor Nathan Zamprogno
And website:

councillorzamprogno.info/campaign/ ... See MoreSee Less

5 days ago