Liza Butler (Labor), Luke Sikora (Liberal), Amanda Findley (Greens) and Nina Digiglio (Independent) fronted voters at the Culburra Beach Bowling Club on Tuesday evening (March 7) for a local meet the candidates forum.

Key issues for the community included housing, short term rentals, the environment, and the regularly un-staffed Culburra Beach Police Station.

The forum was organised by the Culburra Beach Chamber of Commerce, and president Kym Heffernan said the evening offered valuable insight for locals, who are passionate about the issues close to home.

"We're a diverse community with diverse views," he said.

"I think it helps to ask candidates about local issues, because even if you're at state government, you're still representing a local area.

"Your job is not just to be in Labor, Liberal, Greens, or whatever - it's to represent your local area first and be a party member second."

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Community questions included:

Nina Digiglio (IND):

Ms Digiglio said she would be "very keen to work with whoever gets into government... to get funding for roads".

Liza Butler (LAB):

Ms Butler said Labor would put $390 million towards roads over the next two years, should the party win government, and continue an existing regional pothole funding program.

She also introduced a Labor plan to reclassify major roads around NSW as state-owned, taking maintenance responsibility off local councils.

"[The roads] will no longer be council-maintained, roads that were never meant to be maintained by councils," Mrs Butler said.

"Then they [councils will be able to do the street you live on and not worry about those major roads."

Amanda Findley (GRN):

Ms Findley took aim at the Labor proposal, claiming the figure would "probably only equate to about $4 million each year for places like the Shoalhaven".

She did not offer a specific figure to counter, instead, Ms Findley picked out trouble spots around the region.

"Terara Rd needs to be fixed, Culburra Rd needs to be fixed - not only that, we need to invest in the East Nowra sub-arterial... we need investment in the Kalandar St intersection... and the Hillcrest Ave to Yalwal sub-arterial.

"We will be in gridlock for the next 15 years if those roads are not addressed."

Luke Sikora (LIB):

Mr Sikora said the Liberals would put $400 million on the table to fix local roads.

He also used his time at the forum to point a finger at Shoalhaven City Council's use of previous state funds.

"$20 million has been provided by the NSW Government over four years to this [Shoalhaven City] council to fix local roads. My question is: what have they done with it, and how much money do they need to fix the roads?"

Amanda Findley (GRN):

Ms Findley steered her answer toward the Greens' policies of decriminalising cannabis, and establishing mental health teams to address mental health call-outs.

She said measures like these could free up police to be at stations like Culburra.

"We can re-address the issues where police have to turn up and deal with issues that aren't really police issues... then what we do is get more police back in the stations to look after you."

Luke Sikora (LIB):

Mr Sikora said NSW needed more police, but he would rather see them on the street than in the police station.

He added that the current NSW Government built the new police station at locals' request.

"It's better to have the police on the streets than locked in a police station. That will continue to be my preference," he said.

"Should I be elected, I would work with our district commander to ensure that we can obtain more police in Culburra Beach... but I will always take the advice of the experts that know where the police need to be and what they need to be doing."

Nina Digiglio (IND):

Ms Digiglio said she would leave it up to the Culburra Beach community to decide on the matter of their own police station, through consultation.

"Do the community want policemen here 24-7? If they do, I'll advocate for that," she said.

Liza Butler (LAB):

Mrs Butler pointed to a police shortage, and low applicant numbers at the academy, citing a lack of CPI pay increase as a cause.

She also pointed to an aging workforce, with few replacements coming through the ranks.

Ms Butler called for better supports and changes to the way small town policing operates, but stopped short of party policies.

"We have to look at supporting our police to stay in the job, so we can fill that police station," she said.

Luke Sikora (LIB):

Mr Sikora said he was waiting on the results of an Independent Planning Commission investigation, which had already been ordered by the current state government.

He acknowledged that the short term rentals/Airbnb issue had been raised in each village on the South Coast.

"We [Liberals] are going to ensure that independent assessment occurs and we can address those concerns of the community into the future," he said.

Nina Digiglio (IND):

Ms Digiglio put the onus on organisations like Salt Ministries and YouthWorks in Nowra (by her estimate, they have 160 beds) to house people in the short term, while calling for a "root cause analysis" of where tax dollars are going.

Liza Butler (LAB):

Ms Butler went as far as acknowledging the problem, but said there was "not an easy answer" to the short term rental issue.

She said the next crop of state politicians will need to put their heads together and come up with a plan.

Amanda Findley (GRN):

Ms Findley maintained the power to solve short term rentals lie with city councils.

She proposed a regulation on housing developments such as the West Culburra subdivision, to mandate homes be reserved for permanent residents; she also said planning powers need to go back to city councils.

"What we need to do is put a regulation in there [the West Culburra development], that not one of those houses can be short term rental accommodation," she said.

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Nina Digiglio (IND):

Ms Digiglio said she would need to refer to experts on the matter.

"I think the question is sort of nebulous for me," she said.

Liza Butler (LAB):

Ms Butler offered a Labor plan to build affordable housing on government-owned land.

She also called for a review of environmental protection laws, to consider what could be changed.

"Labor is trialling here on the South Coast, building two-bedroom townhouses as perpetual affordable housing on unused government land."

Ms Butler stipulated the townhouses of the trial program would be set aside for essential workers in the region.

Amanda Findley (GRN):

Ms Findley continued her point of putting planning powers back in the hands of city councils.

"Having planning come back to councils is a policy of the Greens at a state level," she said.

Luke Sikora (LIB)

Mr Sikora maintained support for existing planning rules, when it comes to housing developments.

"I want to ensure there continues to be a rigorous planning process in place - an independent planning process - supporting future developments and future housing."

What issues do they care about and what will sway their vote?

Six regional journalists aged in their 20s decided to find out.

Follow them on their journey as they talk to young people across NSW in this special series of Young & Regional: My Vote Matters.

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