(Judy McVey and Terry Costello, representing the Socialist Alliance Party, sent a joint response)
1. What do you think are the three most important heritage places in Moreland? Why?
Merri Creek, Dawson St Brickworks, Albion St ( the part built by "sussos" in the 1930s)
2. The Hoffman Brickworks in Dawson Street Brunswick are classified by the National Trust as of national heritage significance, and are also recognised on the Victorian Government's Heritage Register and the Commonwealth Government's National Estate Register. The historic core of the site - the kilns, brick pressing shed and gatehouse - is the last area of the brickworks to be redeveloped.
What would you like to see happen to the historic core?
I would like to see it preserved in such a way as to also provide an educational experience for those interested people. It should be combined with a museum about working practices and local art history. It could be converted into the equivalent of the Western Suburbs Living Museum of the West.
It should also be possible to open the site for community activities so that the brickworks becomes vibrant and functional activity centre.
I would agree with the save the Brickworks on the proposal that no demolition should take place of the traditional buildings and that open space should not be developed as a carpark - it should be a space for activities such as markets and performance.
3. In 1997, Moreland City Council committed $400,000 to assist the developer conserve Kiln 2.
What do you think would be a reasonable return to the community for this investment?
A community resource open free to the public as a display of the history of the area, the brick workshop, local work experience - including production techniques and industrial struggle - and practice, art history. There should be no more housing developed on the site - any open space should be used as public open space to preserve the enormous resource of working class and community history.
Our generation has an historic opportunity to invest in quality community education.
4. What is your opinion about the redevelopment of the brickworks site to date?
Housing is encroaching on the area. This should be limited in some official way. Otherwise there are some really positive things happening.
5. If elected to Moreland City Council, how will you work to get the best outcomes for the community on the brickworks site?
I will work to obtain the best possible outcomes for my constituaents which would be based on solid research and information from the local experts - Save the Brickworks + Brunswick Community History Group, as well as the local community.
6. The community, through Save the Brickworks, the National Trust and Brunswick Community History Group continue to have strong concerns about the developer's proposals for the historic core, especially in terms of heritage integrity, community use and access.
If elected to Moreland City Council, would you be willing to seek to renegotiate agreements on the historic core with the developers to address these community concerns?
Yes.
Other comments: I would also encourage the council to run an education program for all local residents about the project. Residents need to know and understand this heritage site so they can make more informed suggestions.