Councillor Peter Cole, Knox City Council, Vic
Q. How long have you been on Council?
I was elected to Knox Council in November 2008. As one of the youngest people to ever be elected to public office in Knox, it’s certainly been a steep learning curve for me — but it’s an experience I’m thoroughly enjoying.
Q. Why did you become involved in Local Government?
I wanted to bring a fresh face and new ideas to Council.
I had previously tried to give some profile to several local issues as a private citizen, but thought being elected to public office would help me achieve more things for the community.
Q. Tell us about the ward you represent?
My ward is centred around Boronia, a suburb of Melbourne’s east. The area was first settled in the 1860s and the population has grown from 20 in 1920, to more than 20,000 today. It is a modern, thriving community with sweeping local parks the perfect complement to the many shops and restaurants, but it still maintains some of its old world charm.
The original homestead of the first Shire President, J. J Miller, sits atop Melrose Court and enjoys gorgeous views of Mount Dandenong and the surrounding area. Landscaped gardens and spacious facilities make it a popular location for wedding photos and community events.
In short, we’re all right at home at the bottom of the Dandenong foothills.
Q. Knox has residents from 130 different countries speaking 118 different languages. How does Council cater for this diverse population?
Council recently launched its inaugural Multicultural Advisory Committee (MAC) as a celebration of our diverse ancestries. The MAC will encourage more participation of multicultural groups in community activities and events. It will also play a central advisory role to Council, informing it of the issues affecting multicultural communities in Knox, and ensuring they are consulted in decisions affecting their communities.
The value of our multicultural community is the inspiration for next year’s Knox Festival, which will be the biggest ever celebration of our diverse cultural mix. Next year’s theme will be ‘Our People’, acknowledging the diverse cultures that have helped form Knox’s identity. It will feature a dedicated multicultural area with a multicultural performance stage, multicultural cooking demonstrations and a workshop program of cultural arts, crafts and activities from around the world.
Q. Tell us about your role with the local rotary club and your place in developing a charity to provide sporting equipment to disadvantaged Fijian schools.
A trip to Fiji in 2000 opened my eyes to the hardship facing those less fortunate than ourselves. I wanted to help, so I founded the Spirit of Sharing charity. The purpose of the charity is to donate sporting goods, books, computers, toys and other educational resources to needy Fijian villages and communities. Last financial year alone, more than $500,000 worth of sport and educational goods and $59,000 in donations was raised for the children of Fiji.
If you would like to know more about Spirit of Sharing, visit www.spiritofsharing.com.au or give me a call on 0439 997 583.
I also play a role in the local Knox Rotary group. We really work hard to make a difference in our community, both locally and worldwide. Internationally each year, more than $US 60 million is raised and donated to international scholarships, cultural exchanges and humanitarian projects large and small that improve the quality of life for millions of people across the globe. I have had the opportunity to work with some gifted and wonderful people, and it’s a role I really enjoy.
Q. What is the most difficult part of your role?
One of the biggest challenges I find in my role as Councillor is the difference in demographics among my colleagues. I am the youngest Council representative and the only representative of generation Y. The diversity in opinion and views is something that makes us all a stronger Council team. Having said that, we’re always working to keep our communication channels open and find new ways to better understand each other’s opinions and perspectives.
Q. What do you hope to accomplish in the future?
Knox Council operates 200 essential services in the local community, each of them vital to the everyday functioning of our City and central to the lives of our residents. Throughout my term, I would like to see each of them not only retained, but enhanced for our community. Topics of particular personal interest include tackling local graffiti and fighting for the installation of traffic lights at a key local intersection. But most importantly, I want to create more opportunities for young people to contribute to our City’s life and growth. Young people have so much to offer but, too often, it’s a skill base that gets left behind.
Councillor Mimmie Jackson, South Gippsland Shire Council, Vic
Q. How long have you been on Council?
I was elected in December 2008 when Local Government elections were last held in Victoria.
Q. Why did you become involved in Local Government?
In 2001, I was involved in setting up a Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) in South Gippsland. The YAC was asked by Council to be involved in various programs and policy making and I took up these opportunities with a lot of enthusiasm. These experiences taught me a lot about how Council operates and the potential it has to do great things for the community it serves.
I see Local Government as a key institution in the community. As someone who wants to make a positive impact on my community and who enjoys being involved in policy debate and implementation, being on Council is a great outlet for my passions.
Q. What makes your Council area special or different?
There’s a saying about South Gippsland – come for the beauty, stay for the lifestyle.
This sums it up really well. Residents enjoy the natural beauty of beaches, parks (including Wilsons Promontory) and rail trails through the countryside. I have a particular fondness for the rolling hills – in all their colours, not just the green for which they are renowned.
The lifestyle is also special. There are many active recreation, artistic, educational, religious and social justice community groups in South Gippsland’s settlements, from the rural hamlets of a hundred people to the district centre of Leongatha, which is home to approximately 5,000 people. These provide people with outlets for their passions and fun social occasions.
Our large, dispersed area presents significant challenges in Council’s service delivery. I look forward to seeing how improved access to public transport and the rollout of high speed broadband infrastructure will make life easier for our residents.
Q. Council recently obtained a natural gas supply to the region. What opportunities does this present?
Existing local businesses and residents are enjoying the financial benefits of access to cheaper energy. For example, the connection of SG SPLASH (the South Gippsland Swimming Pool, Leisure and Sports Hub) is expected to save Council in excess of $500 per week in energy costs. Other large energy users, such as Burra Foods in Korumburra, are also seeing a significant decrease in their energy bills.
The installation of gas has provided employment to local tradespeople and suppliers of natural gas appliances. This has flow on effects within the local economy. Council’s Social and Economic Development team has been promoting the benefits of natural gas to businesses wanting to expand or relocate to South Gippsland and we expect to see a stronger South Gippsland economy as a result.
Q. What key challenges are currently facing Council?
Council is embarking on an Integrated Community Planning program that will ignite conversations in the community about the services it does and/or should provide. Council will then strategically plan the services it provides in partnership with the community it serves.
I am keen to see resilient, self reliant communities that actively contribute to the social, economic and environmental health of the Shire. The way Council plans and delivers its services can itself be the catalyst for members of the community to take stock of the challenges being faced in South Gippsland and to play its part in addressing them.
Q. What do you most enjoy about being a councillor?
I enjoy the way the decisions Council make have a lasting impact on South Gippsland.
I am motivated by the ability to make changes for the good of the Shire – for the present and the future, for individuals and for the collective community benefit.
