Alpine Shire Council election candidates

My name is John Andersen, also known as Snowy. Since 2015, I’ve lived, worked, and raised my family in the Alpine Shire, and I consider it a privilege to call Bright my home. I am dedicated to giving back to the community that makes this place so special. Our beautiful alpine valleys, stunning natural scenery, and welcoming communities attract many, thanks in no small part to the efforts of local leaders. I believe that the prosperity we currently enjoy can only continue to thrive with increased community involvement. That’s why I’m running for a position on the Alpine Council. As a local carpenter, chess novice, basketball dad, football club volunteer, and attentive listener, I am committed to contributing positively to our community. Please feel free to reach out to me. Let’s work together to bring about meaningful change for everyone. Thank you.

My name is Peter Smith. I am a 54 year old resident and was born and bred in the Alpine Shire , and lived here my entire life . My experience lays in the Banking and Financial services industry and over the duration of my career, I have worked in all areas across the Alpine Shire . My career has allowed me to engage in all age groups, which I have thoroughly enjoyed. I have seen many changes over my 54 years in the area and want to be a positive connection for future plans, changes and decisions made for our amazing region. I am passionate about our local area and want to enhance the connection and support our shire can provide to all our residents. I have for many years, and still volunteer my time to an extensive array of various local groups, including sporting and charitable fundraising organisations. I am at a stage in my life where I can allocate the necessary time and effort to do this role properly and to the best of my ability.

As a candidate at the Alpine Shire Council election, I would like to bring our great community together. Aware of the future challenges facing our community, such as the cost of living, increased demand on our health and education services, housing affordability, disaster preparedness and the need to care for our Alpine environment, I will take an active role in advocating for the needs of our community. I would like to see more services in place for those with disabilities, mental health challenges, and those experiencing difficulties due to aging. By listening to your concerns, I will represent your interests at Council, and work with you for the best outcomes. Together, we will face these challenges, and leave a better place for future generations to come. I would especially like to acknowledge our volunteer groups who dedicate so much time to helping others and keeping us unified, connected and supported. With this statement, I would like to recognise every single person living in the Alpine Shire, past and present, who have made our community so unique and special. We all have much to contribute.

My name is David Byrne. Ten years ago, my family and I made the wonderful decision to move to Myrtleford, and it has been a privilege to call this community home. Over the past decade, I have grown deeply fond of the people and the place's we all cherish. Today, I stand before you as a candidate for the Alpine Shire Council, driven by a commitment to serve and strengthen our community. If elected, my focus will be on core council responsibilities. I am dedicated to minimizing rate increases and ensuring that every dollar is spent wisely. My goal is to deliver responsible service that meets the needs of our residents, respecting all perspectives and ideas within our community. I believe in a council that listens, acts with integrity, and prioritizes the well-being of all its residents. With your support, I promise to bring dedication, transparency, and a genuine passion for our Shire’s future. Together, let’s keep the Alpine Shire a place we are all proud to call home. Thank you.

A resident of Bright with a no-nonsense, down to earth approach to solving problems.  Animal welfare advocate committed to being a voice for the voiceless. Semi Retired with ample time to devote to the local community. Married with 4 step-daughters, 11 grandchildren and two beloved dogs.Travelled extensively overseas and Australia. I’m ready to devote my time to make a difference to the Alpine Shire. Employed most of my life in the photographic industry. Join me in keeping Australia Day alive and saying no to international fast food chains - let's preserve the local spirit that makes this place so special.

My name is Kevin Grentell and I am running for Council so people of the Kiewa Valley have a voice in how we shape the future of our Valley. My goal is to keep the Valley predominantly farmland and not commercially developed by foreign businesses and the State Government. It is my hope as a Councillor that I can assist in the decision making process that will affect the people of the Valley and benefit the Community as a whole. I have lived in Dederang for over 8 years and have come to realise how tight-knit and passionate the Community is. I want to convey that passion at Council level. Being new to this, I have a lot to learn about how Council operates, but I hope that I can represent the people of my Community with wise decisions and to maintain the way of life that we all love.

If you vote for me. I will try my best to improve the accountability, communications, and leadership. By 50% then it is now. For the residents ratepayers and visitors. And work hard with the new council to achieve that goal. To make the shire great again. Ray Dyer

As a dedicated community member with a passion for positive change, I am excited for the potential opportunity to represent the Alpine Shire Community. With extensive experience working within our community, I am committed to promoting an inclusive and vibrant environment where every voice is heard and valued. My experience in many Local community groups and organisations has equipped me with the skills to navigate and address complex challenges and implement effective solutions. My approach emphasizes collaboration, transparency, and proactivity. I believe in working closely with residents and local businesses to understand their needs and aspirations by focusing on open, honest communication, and creating strong relationships. My commitment to environmental sustainability and economic development will drive efforts to improve our community's quality of life. As your Councillor, I will advocate for responsible growth, improved public services, and fair opportunities for all. Together we can develop a resilient and cohesive community. I am looking forward to bringing my skills and dedication to this role and making a meaningful difference.

I have had the honour of being a Councillor for two terms now and look forward to continuing to engage with and listen to our communities, for our communities. My approach is to guide discussions, planning and decisions to achieve the greatest good for the greatest number of Alpine Shire residents and businesses, recognising diversity of need within and between our communities. Upcoming long-term planning will be very important for the future of the Alpine Shire around rural land, what our townships and settlements will look like and how they function. My background in and passion for community engagement will stimulate contributions from across the magnificent and diverse Alpine Shire, to help shape the Shire. I will continue to raise awareness of climate changes and the way we can all take action to reduce harmful emissions and adapt to the changes that affect our environment, agriculture, businesses, communities and every one of us. As well as making a difference with the Council team, communities and individuals of the Alpine Shire I will drive targeted advocacy to all levels of government for advances in community needs like housing, aged-care, child-care, transport and safe and environmentally responsible renewable energy options.

My name is Sebastian Collyer, though most people call me Seb. I've lived in the Alpine Shire region for over 20 years, first coming from Melbourne in 2003 and completing my schooling at the local Bright P-12 College in 2012. After graduating I worked in a series of industries including Hospitality, Retail, and more recently Healthcare as a pathology collector and Education as an IT Support for Bright P-12 College assisting staff and students. Like many in my demographic, I have concerns about adequate representation for people in my economic and age brackets, in the past councillors have been individuals who have never truly acted on my behalf or those in similar positions as me. As a councillor, I will continue to fight for improvements in the area that will be citizen-first as opposed to business or tourist-focused, including a renewed focus on Roadwork improvements, healthcare and Education.

As a family we moved to the Alpine Shire in 1998 and love the environment here. My wife Therese and our 3 children settled into life and became involved in many community activities. Our children are now all grown and living their own lives. We owner built our rammed earth home on the semi rural outskirts of Myrtleford. I took early retirement from Ambulance Victoria after 39 years, I now find I have time to commit to extending my community activities. I see standing for council as a way to return to the community. My particular interests include: Mt Buffalo, the environment, climate change, health and safety, self sufficiency, solar power and electric vehicles. What I offer as a prospective candidate is honesty, accessibility and accountability. To achieve this, I would make myself available to community members on a regular basis, be transparent in all of my dealings, listen to you and be fair minded. I would provide regular feedback to the community and help you problem solve where I can. I am not aligned with any party, political or other, and offer myself as an independent candidate.

Facilities and structure provide a house; health and community makes that a home. There will be change. Always. How we anticipate and adapt to change has implications for future generations. COVID and natural disasters forced some changes on us, others come insidiously and need more serious consideration. An example. The current push for a cashless economy? Let's think about that. Banks make no money on cash transactions, ATMs are costly to operate and customer service means they have to employ more people. Cashless solves that for them. Natural disasters, cybersecurity issues and outages bring a cashless society to a standstill. And there are those who can't/ won't use technology. Loneliness affects non-digitized community members, especially where life is fast-paced and increasingly technological. In the Netherlands, a large supermarket chain introduced a "slow lane" for customers for whom shopping was also a social outing. Other recent influences are continuing to have impacts: AI, climate change, working from home and employment insecurity These have all had impacts on community and individual wellbeing. "Resilience" is being promoted everywhere and, the nexus of Alpine Shire Council and Alpine health is key to that: two organisations serving the same community.