BJ Walker previously stood for Clarence Council in 2022. His background includes small business in the building, construction and renewable-energy sector and extensive involvement with the Rokeby Hills Community Landcare Group, where he is currently identified as Convenor.

Candidate for Councillor

As part of my Clarence City Council candidate profiles, I have invited candidates to answer the same questions on issues I believe are important to our community.
BJ Walker has completed the questionnaire and has given me permission to use his answers.

This profile is intended to provide voters with information directly from the candidate. It is up to each voter to consider the answers, do their own research and make their own decision.

PARKING
BJ says Council needs to make a proactive start on parking issues, particularly in Bellerive. He plans to release a specific parking objective shortly and points to his previous work on parking, including a Question on Notice on 10 May 2026, as evidence of his interest in achieving better parking outcomes in Clarence.

YEARLY HARD WASTE
BJ believes the former hard-waste service should not have been cancelled without a replacement. After helping residents use their tip vouchers, he believes Council should continue working towards practical alternatives available to all households, including renters.

He supports Council’s current direction towards targeted collections that can be dealt with sustainably and efficiently, including items such as mattresses and tyres that were not covered by the old hard-waste system.

BJ would also like community organisations, such as the Bike Collective, to be involved where suitable.

His preference would be for collection dates to be included on Council’s annual bin calendar so residents know well in advance when services are available.

GREEN SPACES
BJ is head of the Rokeby Hills Community Landcare Group and describes green spaces as a core part of the community.
He believes they should provide important corridors for both people and wildlife and should also play a role in protecting Clarence’s most important conservation areas.

ROAD REPAIRS
BJ points to his proposed “Rapid Response Crew” as part of his approach to smaller road and maintenance problems. Having worked in the construction industry for much of his life, he also wants greater scrutiny of Council’s road-maintenance costs, including materials such as gravel.

His view is that Council should investigate whether different approaches could provide better and more cost-effective long-term outcomes.

DOG PARKS
BJ supports dedicated dog parks but would also like Council to investigate opportunities for allocated off-lead areas within reasonable walking distance of residents.

He believes responsible dog owners should have practical places where dogs can exercise and play off-lead, including activities such as fetching a ball.

DEVELOPMENT ASSESSMENT PANELS — DAPs
BJ says he has made representations against Development Assessment Panels at each stage of the process. However, his concerns go beyond DAPs.

He believes Tasmania needs substantial reform of the Planning Scheme, Local Government Act, Land Use Planning and Approvals Act and associated regulations, arguing that the current systems do not work well together and make planning, building and enforcement unnecessarily difficult.

HOUSING & DEVELOPMENT
BJ would like Council to make the development approval process more efficient and easier to navigate, while still ensuring appropriate oversight. He says he has both heard about and personally experienced significant delays in Council’s assessment
processes.

He supports greater communication between Council and applicants, including meetings or workshops where necessary.

BJ also believes community organisations such as Landcare groups should be recognised as stakeholders in relevant development applications rather than being treated simply as individual residents.

Another of his objectives is for councillors to remain informed about developments from application through to completion, including whether planning permit conditions have ultimately been met.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT
BJ acknowledges that the provision of public transport is generally outside Council’s direct responsibility. However, he believes Council does have a role in making bus stops and surrounding infrastructure safe and accessible for passengers getting on and off buses.

He supports more buses, more direct routes, park-and-ride services and investigating options such as public school buses.

CLARENCE’S COASTLINE
BJ describes Clarence’s coastline as both important and unique. He says he has personally walked nearly every part of the Clarence coastline and believes he has a
strong understanding of its value to the municipality.

ACCOUNTABILITY & TRANSPARENCY
Accountability and transparency feature prominently in BJ’s campaign.
He refers voters to Objectives 4, 6 and 7 of his campaign platform, and says the importance he places on these principles is also reflected on his campaign material.

BJ makes an important distinction in his answer: “Accountability for me stops at our councillors and not council.” His position is that councillors are elected to oversee Council operations and therefore the elected representatives themselves must ultimately be accountable to the community.

KANGAROO BAY DEVELOPMENT
BJ believes the situation at Kangaroo Bay has now reached the point where it is financially important for Clarence City Council to buy back the parcel of land.
If that occurred, he would like Council to work directly with the community to determine its future. His stated aim would be to create “something special and for the people” at Kangaroo Bay.

PARTY ALIGNMENT

BJ’s answer is very clear: “Never have and never will have.”
He says he has no political party alignment.

A NOTE TO VOTERS
These are BJ Walker’s own responses to the candidate questionnaire, provided with his permission. As we get closer to the October Clarence City Council election, I will continue giving candidates the opportunity to explain where they stand on the issues that affect our municipality.

I encourage everyone to read the candidates’ answers, look at their records, ask questions and make your own informed decision.
Council elections matter. Who we elect will help determine the direction of Clarence for the next four years.

Authorised by: Janice Overett, 10 Jennings Crt, Nubeena 7185