Dr Dorothy Robinson is passionate about making the Armidale Region healthy and sustainable. She has lived in Armidale for over 30 years, and enjoyed a career as principal scientist researching animal genetics, statistics and ways to reduce global warming.
Dorothy believes quality of life is just as important as growth, and that communities need fair rates and charges. Councils should fight cost-shifting from other levels of government and advocate strongly for fair funding to attract the necessary people and services – health, hydrotherapy, community services, affordable housing, safe roads, subsidies to improve the efficiency of existing houses (similar or better than in Victoria and the ACT) and meet World Health Organisation Air Quality Guidelines.
Sustainable development means encouraging sustainable industries and energy efficient, sustainable homes to reduce bills, and also identifying the best possible locations for future residential areas, ideally close to major employment and commercial areas, allowing a choice to walk or cycle instead of driving.
Quality of life is improved when councils are transparent and accountable, and work respectfully with volunteers who want to create a better society. Easy-to-use software to report problems and see council’s responses about solutions would encourage residents to share their ideas with council and the community.
Dorothy used her mathematical and scientific skills to build a passive solar house in 1991 with very low energy bills. Since installing rooftop solar panels (that paid for themselves in 4 years) in 2010, her home has exported more electricity than it uses. If councils could negotiate deals (and appropriate environmental safeguards) with renewable energy developers, entire regions could enjoy clean, low-cost energy, without harming the environment, agricultural productivity or visual amenity.
Dorothy also used her mathematical and statistical analysis skills to evaluate water consumption data and hopes that future charges will not disadvantage single-person and water-efficient households and those for intensive users will reflect the cost to council of supplying their needs.