Unlock Mandurah campaign unveiled

SOUTH Metropolitan Region MLC Aaron Stonehouse was in Lakelands today to launch the Unlock Mandurah campaign.

The campaign promotes helmet-optional cycle zones in a move to encourage more people to cycle.

Campaign supporters also plan to lobby the State Government to deregulate the rules around the use of pepper spray.

A politician for the Liberals Democrats, Mr Stonehouse was joined by City of Mandurah election candidates Matthew Thompson and Bradley Chalke.

Mr Thompson said there were fewer risks on bike paths compared to on the road.

“The top of your head is generally the last part to hit the ground, what is that little skid lid actually doing to help you; not that much,” he said.

“It’s just that little bit extra hurdle to getting on your bike, going for a ride, getting that exercise in or just hopping in the car and driving down.”

Mr Chalke advocates changing the laws regarding pepper spray use.

“You can’t protect yourself in your own home if people break into your home, you’ve just got to take it,” he said.

“While I can see the problems with everyone using it, you’re always going to have idiots so penalise miss use.”

It is legal to carry pepper spray, but you must have a good reason to, and self-defence is not considered a valid reason.

The men also support normalising Mandurah’s trading hours, with the metropolitan area so people can shop at later hours.

Mr Thompson said these measures would benefit families and could be done in phases.

“We want to extend trading hours so we can actually go out and shop,” he said.

“We’ve got all these options to fix the economy, and some issues can’t be fixed at council level, but let’s fix the ones that can be.”

They also support council sessions to be live-streamed, freezing land rates to match the housing market, building Lakelands Train Station and rolling back the ban on drones in public spaces.