2020 Towong Shire Council

Candidate Statements NOTICE: The contents of candidate statements are provided by the candidates. Any NOTICE: The contents of candidate statements are provided by the candidates. Any NOTICE: The contents of candidate statements are provided by the candidates. Any enquiries about candidate statements should be directed to the relevant candidate. enquiries about candidate statements should be directed to the relevant candidate. enquiries about candidate statements should be directed to the relevant candidate. Candidate statements are not verified or endorsed by the Election Manager. Candidate statements are not verified or endorsed by the Election Manager. Candidate statements are not verified or endorsed by the Election Manager.

WHITEHEAD, Andrew James DIKSCHEI, Peter John WEDDALL, Chris I am nominating for re-election as a Councillor in the Towong I’m happy to announce I will contest the 2020 Towong Shire Standing as a candidate for the Towong Shire in the Victorian Local Shire. I believe the Towong Shire has made great progress over the Council elections. As a police officer for 34 years, I bring integrity, Government election has been an easy decision to make. My goal is past 4 years and I am committed to seeing this continue into the diplomacy, trustworthiness, and governance experience to my to support the community that I have had the privilege of living in for future. My wife Brenda and I both grew up in the area candidacy. My links to this community are strong and began in the past ten years. After a career of 20 years in senior management and currently live at on our family farm with our 2001 with three years as Sergeant in charge at Corryong, where at one of largest logistics companies and a further 20 four children. After finishing school at Corryong College I spent five I established a deep connection to the Upper Murray community, plus years as a successful business owner in Albury, years working with the Snowy Mountains Hydro Electrical Authority its issues and its people. I now live in Towong with my wife Sandy. and Shepparton, I have acquired the necessary skills and business where I completed a Plant Mechanics Apprenticeship. I then spent I’m a member of the Corryong SES, Corryong Baptist Church and acumen to provide a fresh approach to the development of our 25 years working as a mechanic at Damms Auto and Diesel Repairs was Race Director of the Upper Murray Challenge for 10 years. wonderful Shire. Having previously supported various communities in Corryong and decided it was time to hang up the spanners My commitment to running for council stems from my work as a through roles such as a board member of Rotary and secretary to concentrate on my Councillor and farming roles. I am heavily recovery officer in the Bushfire Recovery Team since February, so I / chairman of various sporting clubs, I now offer my nomination involved in our community and I am currently an active member of understand the issues we’re facing and the work we need to do to as a Councillor for Towong Shire. As a resident of the Bethanga & Country Fire Authority (),Upper Murray Better Beef Group, get our community back on its feet. I want to see Towong Shire and Bellbridge community I also offer a viewpoint from the peninsula Corryong Football and Netball Club, Corryong Recreation Reserve the Upper Murray grow as a destination location. If elected, I will end of the shire that has not had direct representation for many Committee of Management, Upper Murray Landcare, Biggara bring innovative thinking to attract new businesses, become more years. My business experience allowed me to work with customers Community Recovery Committee and Upper Murray Community sustainable, and most importantly, bring more jobs for locals. This across the whole of Towong Shire, gaining a true appreciation for Recovery Committee. 2020 has been a very challenging year for our will attract new families and encourage our young people to build the entire Towong region, and this opportunity would now allow me communities and Shire. As a result of this devastation opportunities their lives here. We can make Towong Shire a community for the to support all ratepayers and residents in both the ongoing recovery have become available. I believe the next several years will be a future. I am focused on ensuring my fellow rate payers are delivered and future development of the wonderful area we live in. Whilst I very important time for strong advocacy for our communities to quality services and infrastructure that provide value for money. I acknowledge the passion and hard work that the current council have the ability to recover and prosper into the future. I ask for your am prepared to ask the tough questions and hold the administration has shown, my experience and expertise in senior management, support in the upcoming election. to account to ensure we get the best for our community. But I can’t customer service, finance, budgeting and especially business do it alone and need to hear your voice. If elected, I will regularly development will add a new dimension to an incoming council and visit each community to receive direct feedback, ideas and hear I commit to work with my fellow councillors in seeking increased your concerns. I know how to help get things done and I look economic development, stronger tourism and enhanced ratepayer forward to chatting with and working for you. services in addition to the traditional agriculture and forestry based emphasis that has occurred over past council terms. I look forward to making you the number one priority of Towong Shire!

1 2 3 NOTICE: The contents of candidate statements are provided by the candidates. Any NOTICE: The contents of candidate statements are provided by the candidates. Any NOTICE: The contents of candidate statements are provided by the candidates. Any enquiries about candidate statements should be directed to the relevant candidate. enquiries about candidate statements should be directed to the relevant candidate. enquiries about candidate statements should be directed to the relevant candidate. Candidate statements are not verified or endorsed by the Election Manager. Candidate statements are not verified or endorsed by the Election Manager. Candidate statements are not verified or endorsed by the Election Manager.

LAZZAROTTO, Ellen Claire TREHARNE, Bradley SPRATT, Stuart As a generational community member and small business owner, it As a proud resident of the Upper Murray region, my goal is to A new voice for the Upper Murray. I am currently the manager of Mt would be my great honour to be elected to the Towong Council and work with the Towong Shire administration and fellow councillors Mittamatite Caravan Park. I haven’t always been in this line of work, serve the wider community to the best of my ability. My husband to ensure that our council is working for the betterment and previously I was running Underground Projects in an Underground and I both own businesses in and wish to involve best interests of our community, delivers long term growth in Mine. I came to Corryong to start a different lifestyle away from the ourselves deeper in the community as we raise our young family. opportunities for our residents, and demonstrates ingenuity and hustle and bustle of mining, then the bushfires hit. This is a great As a fourth generation O’Connell from Towong Shire I grew up on forethought in decision making to ensure that we are capitalising area that has been through a lot over the last 9 months and I feel a family farm in the Mitta Valley. To enhance my life experience fully on the available avenues for expansion and entrepreneurship there is a need for fresh eyes, ears and a new voice for the Upper and skills, I moved away for study and then work however I was that exist within our unique area. Now more so than ever, the need Murray Region. I look forward to you support. Regards Stuart Spratt drawn back to Towong Shire to run a motel and tourism business for adaptability and a willingness to try new approaches is critical within Tallangatta, where I feel most at home. I have brought with to the success of our region. A fundamental shift in the nature of me diverse and useful skills which I believe would be a great asset the way we think, act and approach the challenges facing areas to the Shire. If elected to Council, I would I would do my utmost to dependent largely upon tourism for the success of small and serve the whole community in any issues they have. I would always medium enterprise is necessary to ensure continued success in the be available for a chat. I am hard working, honest and loyal, and I decade to come and beyond. Having a diverse range of experience will represent the region as best I can. I thank you for the time you in working with businesses and running my own small business, I have taken to consider my application. think critically, objectively, and without bias when problem solving and approaching decisions that have far-reaching impacts. My commitment to the Towong community is simple; I will consider and weigh the benefits and potential downsides of all decisions in a fair and objective manner, whilst making myself available to feedback and discussion from members of our community. I will participate actively in the local government process to ensure that my vote on council reflects the sentiments of the majority of our people. If I am granted the honour of serving our people of Towong Shire as part of the local council, I will work tirelessly for the betterment of our region, to ensure that, despite the challenges we currently face, Towong continues to thrive for many decades to come.

4 5 6 NOTICE: The contents of candidate statements are provided by the candidates. Any NOTICE: The contents of candidate statements are provided by the candidates. Any NOTICE: The contents of candidate statements are provided by the candidates. Any enquiries about candidate statements should be directed to the relevant candidate. enquiries about candidate statements should be directed to the relevant candidate. enquiries about candidate statements should be directed to the relevant candidate. Candidate statements are not verified or endorsed by the Election Manager. Candidate statements are not verified or endorsed by the Election Manager. Candidate statements are not verified or endorsed by the Election Manager.

WORTMANN, David John ANDERSON, Denise Joy SCALES, Aaron I have lived in Towong Shire most of my life. My wife and I run I am advocating for fair and balanced sharing of rate revenue, I was elected to Council in 2012, since this time I have served three and manage a beef and sheep farm at . We also operate including community engagement and consultation to ensure funds years as Deputy Mayor and one year as Mayor. I have studied in and manage a School Bus Service to local Schools. I have been are allocated and spent wisely to meet residents needs. I have Law, Accounting and Business management and in 2016 completed a Councilor for a number of years and I believe my experience is been a working mother and our family have lived in the region all a Masters of Business Administration. I am the owner of Dartmouth valuable in developing council priorities. I realize that the decisions our lives. I have experience gained from working in the financial Hotel. I live in the township of Dartmouth with my two children, Mia the Council make impact individual lives and the communities we and medical industries and have also owned a small business. (Arrived 7 days after I first nominated to represent Towong Shire serve. I have always been aware that I represent you the elector. I have knowledge in many aspects of business and understand as a Councillor) and Preston (Arrived 1 year and 24 days before I The devastating Bushfires and Covid 19 pandemic have impacted government requirements, compliance and believe in taking was returned for my second term). I commit myself to our entire our families, communities and businesses enormously. I would like a common-sense approach. Having travelled around community on a number of boards and community groups, and to be a member of the next Council, whose task will be to continue in recent years, my husband Bill and I have gained a greater volunteer willingly. I have previously been the president of Mitta the recovery effort. The further development of plans and the appreciation for what is right here in our backyard. We have a Primary School Council for 7 years. I have been the President, implementation of strategies and projects to help our communities unique opportunity to attract Australian travellers to our shire and committee member and now Treasurer of Dartmouth Community and businesses to grow and prosper into the future will be a I believe a strong focus on tourism will create additional cash flow Progress Association for over 18 years. I believe our Shire has priority. If elected, my focus will be on Council Services, roads and and employment opportunities for our region. An enormous impact much to offer and that we need to encourage business and infrastructure, business development, tourism, sustainable planning has been left on our shire from the recent bushfires and now those agricultural pursuits to attract and retain young families. Increased and greater connectivity through better internet and mobile phone effects are being compounded by the current pandemic. Our shires pressure needs to be applied to State and Federal Government coverage within the Towong Shire. I have always promoted a team emergency plans need immediate revision and implementation to look at funding models of rural councils to relieve the financial approach in Council and always encouraged my fellow Councilors as their effectiveness was insufficient and communities have burden on the ratepayer. With a passion and great understanding to bring forward and discuss a diverse range of views. I am always highlighted their shortcomings. I am committed to being available of early childhood development, financially sustainable business happy to listen to ideas and views from members of the community. to all shire residents and intend to visit and communicate with local practices, budgeting and business development, I offer the Towong In an un-subdivided Shire it is a great privilege to represent all communities on a regular basis, right across the shire. I believe Shire ratepayer value for money, honesty and integrity and a residents and communities within the Shire. I am seeking your in the power of the people - together we can achieve greater commitment to the needs of our shire as a whole. The year of support to be re-elected to Council. If you want strong, independent outcomes and I am committed to be an invaluable link between our 2020 has challenged everyone and I offer my firm commitment to and experienced representation on the next Council, I need your local communities and our council assist everyone with rebuilding our vibrant agricultural and growing vote. Please consider me for your vote. tourism industry.

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