There are days when we all lament the passing of time, when life was lived at a slower pace, when hillsides were covered with grass and not new housing subdivisions and roads were things that actually got people from point A to point B instead of being like the "carparks" they have become during today's peak hour traffic.

We read reports such as the one in today's paper that the once easy alternative to the New England Highway, Raymond Terrace Road, will become a major entry point for Chisholm's expected 8000 new residents, something that will make it more akin to Sydney's Pitt Street than the relatively quiet drive it is now. And to regulate all these vehicles on the road, more traffic lights are to be installed. So is this the progress we need? Or indeed want?

Labor's mayoral candidate for Maitland, Henry Meskauskas, has said that if elected in the September local government elections he would put the brakes on the city's growth to ensure the lifestyle of its residents. His heart is in the right place, but no one can stem the tide of growth; nor would it necessarily be the best outcome for this city. Rather than trying to put the brakes on development, the mayor, whoever it may be, should work to ensure that the city's infrastructure goes full-steam ahead to keep up with the burgeoning growth.

Cr Meskauskas says we must not lose touch with what draws people to Maitland and cites its "relaxed, safe and supportive community that's family friendly." There are many people, however, who would claim that these are not adjectives that sum up the "new Maitland." In many cases Aussie larrikinism has been replaced by anti-social behaviour behaviour; and we have to wonder how family friendly the city is when our schools are bursting at the seams and doctors no longer accept new patients.

That aside, there are parts of Maitland where more people, not fewer, are needed. The Heritage Mall, for example, need more people for it to reach its potential. It needs to be more like bustling Darby Street – and a little less like "old Maitland."

Crt Meskauskas say Labor's focus will be jobs, roads, crime, sports facilities, shopping centres, the environment, and the needs of residents.

Surely that should be the priority of all local government candidates, regardless of political affiliation.