Having lived in Wagga for almost 40 years, council election candidate Roslyn Prangnell is now retired but volunteers her services as a Justice of the Peace several times a month. Photo: Jarryd Rowley.
Wagga’s only non-grouped candidate at the upcoming local government polls, Rosyln Prangnell, sees no disadvantage in being the only individual on the ballot as she looks to deliver valuable insights to the council if elected.
Hailing from an agriculture research technician background, the local of almost 40 years has always been interested in delivering grassroots democracy and believes the local council is the perfect place to demonstrate it.
“Wagga is a very agricultural area and one that I feel very strongly about,” Ms Prangnell said.
“I believe I can really provide a unique insight into that space. I support the idea of more high-rises and denser development in the CBD and selected suburbs.
”We need as many green areas as possible and I can’t see why we can’t have five-, six-, and seven-storey buildings and denser housing instead of pushing out into agricultural areas that can’t support the developments.”
The volunteer Justice of the Peace said the idea of denser housing locations across the LGA would also make it easier to justify developments in local transport.
“High-rise development means more people are living in a single area,” she said.
”The more people there are, the better access to supermarkets, doctors, pharmacies, hairdressers and food. There won’t be the demand for individual transport.”
Ms Prangnell said she would also oppose the privatisation of Wagga Wagga Airport, one of the biggest issues facing Wagga Wagga City Council today.
“I feel that if it’s in private hands, we’d be paying double,” she said.
“We’d be paying for the Air Force facilities, and then we’d be paying through the airlines as well. I don’t support the privatisation of public facilities.”
Ms Prangnell said she would lobby for initiatives by the state or federal governments that included better services in regard to health, housing and infrastructure, the introduction of a road and rail bypass, and the placement of a northern suburbs high school.
She would also encourage local initiatives including more green corridors through the city, more clubs in the city and surrounding villages including Mangoplah, San Isidore and Ladysmith, and prevention methods for severe weather events such as floods and fires.
Being the only candidate not affiliated with a political group, Ms Prangnell will be the single candidate whose name will appear below the line.
Despite other groups believing this to be a disadvantage for candidates looking to gain a seat, Ms Prangnell believes that local voters are more accustomed to voting for people they know serve the community.
“At a local level, people will know the candidates who are running,” she said.
“They tend to choose one to nine as they see fit, rather than choosing for a particular group.
”Yes, there will be those who will choose Labor or Greens or even the Christians, but I think the majority of people will say, ‘I know that person does well in the community and they represent my best interests’.
“We’re a conduit, we’re not here to take our own opinions and our own agendas to council. I’ve got to be open to everything and make a decision that is best for the community and that’s what I plan on doing if elected.”
The local government elections will be held on 14 September, with pre-polling opening on 7 September.
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