Mitchell Shire Council election candidates

My name is Brett Owen, as a resident of Wallan East, I am deeply connected to our community and passionate about representing the voices of those I engage with every day. I am committed to being an advocate for the people, bringing a unique perspective and a determined approach to advancing our shared interests. I have served as a Justice of the Peace for 29 years, during which I have demonstrated integrity and dedication to public service. Additionally, I held the Presidency at a Secondary College, where I led various community projects and outreach initiatives, successfully supporting students, families, and helping to reconnect communities. With 40 years of experience in construction, my strong project management skills and hands-on approach allow me to understand and prioritise infrastructure projects. I am particularly focused on promoting sports and arts, developing reserves, parks, and gardens, and improving community facilities within the electorate. My vision as a Council member is to enhance the public image of the Council by strengthening areas that unite the community while continuing to build on the proactive measures already in place. I am confident in my ability to represent the local people and ensure their voices are heard.

My name is Timothy Hanson I'm a 4th-generation local, and I'm running for council because I want to make sure Mitchell Shire stays a great place to live and work. I know our area's growing fast, but I believe we can grow without losing what makes our community special. I'll fight for better roads and infrastructure that can handle the growth, I'll strive to support local businesses and the community and work hard to make sure we have facilities that serve everyone's needs, and make sure to protect our rural character. I'm not a career politician, just a local who cares about our community. I'll listen to your concerns and work hard to make sure our council represents everyone, not just the loud voices.

I am a newly mortgaged resident of Kilmore where I live with my wife and two teenage daughters. We are lucky to live in such a beautiful part of the world. I treasure our historic buildings and old homes as much as I do the beautiful farms and forests that surround us. I moved here for the small town countryside lifestyle and I want to keep it that way for myself and my fellow residents. I am going to live here for the rest of my life. Serving as your councillor for the last four years as a first term councillor has been an amazing experience, particularly the two years served as your Deputy Mayor. There is more work to be done, especially our road infrastructure as well as making sure we get the right kind of development that suits our community. 1) Kilmore bypass and the John Street connection finished to take pressure off Sydney Street. 2) Wandong and Upper Plenty need to be preserved without compromise. 3) Wallara Waters needs on off ramps to the Hume as well as parks, schools, and shops. 4) More community meeting places. 5) Improved bike riding. 6) More support for community groups.

I am Mike Haysom, I stand for election as an independent, non-aligned councillor for Central Ward because I wish to contribute more to the community and use my skills to help build a better "future" Mitchell Shire. My vision for this future involves a responsible balance of urban land use and sustainable agricultural activity in rural areas. Integral in this is the provision of needed services in our growing major towns. All Mitchell Shire residents must see “value for money” from rates paid. I believe the biggest challenge for Mitchell over the next 20 years will be balancing the needs of urban growth in the south and major towns, with fair rural planning decisions, good economic development strategies and equitable distribution of council services within the many small, independent communities that make up Mitchell Shire. Previous councils have done great work developing strategy plans for larger communities, but these strategic plans must be monitored, adjusted and the range expanded into more smaller communities to ensure a fair, happy, enjoyable, sustainable and safe environment for all Mitchell Shire residents. If elected, I pledge to work diligently and fairly for all Mitchell residents, without political bias, for a better Mitchell Shire.

My name is Andries Brand and I wish to stand for council because I seek transparency. I also want to seek transparency for you, the voter and rates payer. Too often are we misled by trendy issues and rarely are we guided about what really matters. I cannot guarantee a successful outcome for every problem, however, I shall attempt to tackle the important ones that the community hold dear to their hearts. I shall not list the empty promises we are so acclimatised to, nor will I provide false hope that I am the answer to Mitchell Shire’s problems. While growth is often celebrated as a marker of progress, it’s crucial to recognise that sustainable development and quality of life are paramount. Instead of focusing solely on expanding economic metrics, let’s prioritize enhancing the well-being of our communities and the health of our bushland. I would like an opportunity to discover the inner workings of the council and hopefully make logical choices with a dash of common sense. Vote Brand, vote often!

I’m running for Council to refocus on the fundamentals: improving roads, providing recreation facilities, ensuring responsible rate spending, and addressing waste management. To make these priorities a reality, I need your vote as your #1 candidate. I often hear frustrations from residents about road conditions and long traffic delays to reach work each day. It’s clear we need to manage funds better, and I’m ready to be your voice to council. With a background in management, I bring eight years of previous experience as Mayor and Councillor of Mitchell Shire. Our community satisfaction has continued to decline, and I’m committed to restoring trust and confidence of residents. I have been deeply involved in the local community, serving as a life member of Kilmore Football Netball Club, a 14-year member of Kilmore General Cemetery Trust and currently vice-president of Willowmavin Landcare. These roles allow me to meet residents and learn the issues that matter most – some still need urgent attention. I am passionate about expanding sports facilities for families in Central Ward. Council own the land, it’s time to build the necessary infrastructure for our growing community. I look forward to working with the community of Kilmore, Wandong and Wallara Waters.

I Douglas Dyson have lived in Kilmore coming up to 6 1/2 years ago and feel I would able to assist the residents of central ward by contributing to council. Before moving to Kilmore I did a number of years with Victoria S E S also our local progress association and run junior indoor cricket teams .Since moving to Kilmore I have joined Kilmore miniature railway ,kadrra, men's shed and old courthouse committee . I worked as a maintenance fitter special class in the food industry all my working career adding to the time in defense workshops 3 base

As a sole parent I moved my family to Mitchell Shire over 10 years ago. With a passion for the area around me, I built an off-grid home on 200 acres in rural Tallarook. My youngest attended Tallarook Primary where I was School Council President, he then went to Puckapunyal and on to high school at St Mary’s. I’m Chair of 1st Puckapunyal Scouts, have been on the committee for the Puckapunyal and District Neighbourhood Centre, and am a member of Glenaroua Landcare. Professionally I’ve had an international career in the automotive industry, including research and development through to senior management and CEO. At heart I’m a working-class kid, but comfortable in the board room or the council chamber and can don a suit when needed for the fight. The North Ward has a great rural history with sometimes generations on the farm and in the towns. I’m supportive of our towns and farmers alike. It is for all the people of the North Ward that I put myself forward. My focus is on the council basics of roads and essential services such as rubbish, get them right first and maintain a high standard and from there we can prosper.

I wish to represent small business interests. Towns thrive when more money comes in, than goes out. That means making doing business easy, removing council obstacles and supporting those that want to have a go. Lets spend our rates wisely on roads, rubbish removal and keeping our towns tidy. Lets promote private investment in infrastructure, events and sport. Lets promote our beautiful scenery, riverways, wineries and accommodation to bring money to small businesses. Lets remove lengthy delays in planning and building permits. Lets support and protect local farmers who are being overcharged and under delivered. Anzac Avenue, Seymour must remain two lanes and a permanent truck route established. Lets not waste $5-10million on an old bridge, lets invest it with common sense for a future. I don’t want to bring big business and over development to Mitchell, I want us to create our own businesses, exporting our own products and services. I don’t want houses crammed in side by side with the gutters touching. I am university educated, a business executive, private business owner and family man. Lets not bow down to a noisy few, please stand with me to ensure the North Ward of Mitchell Shire finally shines.

If again given the privilege to represent the residents of North Ward, I intend to continue with my origional focus. Emphasising a back to basics approach, sound financial management, and closely scrutinising expenditure and borrowings. I will work with Council to ensure our rates are spent wisely and provide value for money. I bring both experience and common sense into play in trying to balance limited resources with best community outcomes. Since joining Council my method of operation has remained consistent, consulting with residents, actually listening to their concerns and when possible addressing them. I have a number of areas of focus, particularly the maintenance and renewal of roads and drainage. Business and employment expansion is crucial, bringing jobs with the growth. Emergency Management, with a strong focus on mitigation and planning for both fires and floods and other possible scenarios. Increased emphasis on support and engagement with shire volunteers and other community organizations. In many cases they are forgotten. I fully acknowledge the issues around bureaucracy and red tape which needs addressing. To achieve these aims we need a cohesive and balanced Council that works for all. If the above resonates with you, Vote 1 Bill Chisholm.

My name is Stuart Ferguson and I am running to be a Mitchell Shire councillor in the North Ward. I have lived in Seymour for the majority of my life and as a local nurse and raising a young family I hope to contribute positively to its development. The North Ward is a growth area that needs to prioritise its youth and urban planning to ensure our future. My passion is the development of youth within our community. With one of the lowest completion rates in schooling in the state this means we must make change. We need to further invest and develop our youth programs so that our community does not lag further behind. This can be achieved through ensuring well resourced sporting and adventure clubs and after-hours study spaces so that our youth have positive places to be. The expanding population of the area means greater traffic and denser living spaces. I aim to ensure a development strategy that allows for growth but also proper planning to allow for the forthcoming traffic flow within our towns. Proper parking and traffic flow will help ensure peoples safety. A vote for me will put these priorities at the top.

My name is Andrea Pace, and I have been a proud member of our community for over 35 years.. I have always been actively involved, volunteering for different organisations including treasurer at Seymour & District Car Club, over 20 years with the CFA and several years with youth justice support. I bring over 30 years of administration experience in both government and private sectors. Together with my husband, I have raised a beautiful family who attended local schools and participated in local sports. Key areas I aim to impact include improving waste disposal, enhancing road safety, supporting our hospital and health services, and fostering youth development. I envision a future where our community grows and thrives without compromising the qualities that make it unique. As your local council representative, I will advocate for balanced development that respects our environment, heritage, farming and the well-being of all residents. My focus is on supporting growth that enhances our quality of life without straining our infrastructure or altering the character of our neighbourhoods. Together, we can build a vibrant, safe, and prosperous community for everyone.

My name is John Dougall and I seek your support in my bid for council elections. I am married to Debbie, we have three children and have lived in the Broadford area for the last 12 years. I served in the Army for 33 years, holding command and leadership positions, including numerous operational deployments. After transitioning from fulltime Army in March, I am now more community minded and serving the community as Councilor would be a great honour. I hold an Economics Degree and a Masters in Management, and over recent years revitalised Army's approach to risk management, prioritisation of resources and evidence based decision making. This work was recognised in the Australia Day awards 2024. I have a strong interest in these Governance type attributes that I believe improve transparency and accountability and would serve the community's needs and interests across Mitchell Shire. I am focused on ensuring the most important services are appropriately funded, and that our communities remain liveable and vibrant. This requires active communication with residents, planning that is scrutinised, expenditure that is targeted and strategies that provide a believable vision for the future, both for the environment and our children. This I can do.

I moved to Wallan with my husband David and son Mark more than 24 years ago from the city and have been heavily involved in local community activities ever since. I have a background in science education and research. I value both Wallan’s country town feel and its easy access to the city. The best of both worlds! Rapid urban expansion is the greatest threat to the liveability of Wallan and Beveridge. Particularly, if not done properly. The health and wellbeing of all residents, matters. It is well established that physical, mental and social health is closely linked to a diversity of high quality public open spaces. This can be done by extending our public open spaces to include our creeks, wetlands, bushland areas and volcanic cones. To maintain our highly valued country town feel, our natural landscapes must be protected. They form the backdrop to our urban areas. Our roadsides and streets need to be litter free. Household and industrial dump sites removed. There must be paths and cycling tracks leading to various destination points to reduce traffic. If elected, and with your support, I will do my utmost to make this happen. Vote 1, Claudia James.

My wife Pauline and I have lived in Wallan in excess of 40 years and our children have grown up here. I have been actively involved in many sporting bodies over the years as a volunteer and as a Councillor I helped to establish the Wallan Secondary College and the Wallan Multipurpose Community Centre. As a volunteer I helped out during the Black Saturday and Mickleham-Kilmore bushfire recovery efforts. Today Wallan and Beveridge are part of the Urban Growth Corridoor experiencing rapid growth and are suffering from a lack of vital infrastructure which will only worsen without urgent ongoing attention. Public health and wellbeing will suffer if this is not addressed by all levels of Government. With another 68 Thousand Homes forecast for this Region in the future , we will need to increase our sporting facilities, social infrastructure and road networks. The liveability of our Community will depend upon the attention that State, Federal and Local Government pays to our needs and as an experienced Local Representative I will persue these matters along with employment opportunities and investment in our locality.

I’m a local tradie with strong ties to the community. I’ve lived, worked, and played footy in Wallan my whole life, and I want to make our community the best it can be. I’m running for council because I believe we need to get back to basics—fixing potholes, improving rubbish collection, and making sure our rates are spent where they matter most. I’m frustrated with the current council’s choices, I will make sure council uses rates money from the growth areas of council for growth area infrastructure and services – not sending our rates to the northern part of the shire – like spending $5 million to replace a wooden bridge in Seymour most will never use, while our roads are full of potholes and unsafe. I understand the importance of strong local infrastructure and services. I’ll push for better planning, so our growth is supported by schools, parks, and transport that benefit everyone. Let’s work together to build a better, more connected community! Vote for Riley Evans for a brighter future in Mitchell Shire.

My background is in procurement and general management for a variety of blue-chip companies in Australia, Europe and Asia. I started my service on Council in 2016 and I have been the Deputy Mayor and Mayor of Mitchell. The unprecedented growth in the Shire (Wallan, Beveridge and Hidden Valley) brings great challenges and also is tremendously exciting. I wish to continue the journey with our residents and ratepayers to ensure we maximize the benefits available to us all. There is unfinished business to which I would like to contribute and drive. I officiated at the sod turn of the Beveridge community center, the opening of that facility and now we are witnessing its expansion. We have plans to develop the sporting, leisure and recreational facilities of both Wallan and Beveridge to ease the growing pains. The South of the Shire needs both vision and experience if we are to maximize our potential and avoid the pitfalls we have witnessed in other growth areas. We all know we are not being funded adequately to build the infrastructure (roads etc.) required and we must maintain the strong links to State and Federal funding streams if we are to realize our potential.

My name is indervir Singh - if you vote for me, my priorities will be Increasing employment Community safety Inclusivity Infrastructure & services - transportation - healthcare - Multicultural social environment-

As a Wallan local, husband, father, and finance professional, I’m running for council to address the long-standing issues affecting our growing community. Mitchell Shire is at a critical point. Our roads are riddled with potholes, illegal dumping is a constant eyesore, and we lack the community and sports facilities necessary for our expanding population.   Our council relies too heavily on residential rates, leaving us without the commercial base needed to fund essential infrastructure. Places like Beveridge and Wallan East still have no local shops, if you forget one ingredient to make dinner it means at least a 30 minute trip to the shops. This must change.   I’m committed to delivering practical solutions: better-maintained roads, increased green spaces, and much-needed recreational facilities like aquatic centers, sports ovals, and multi-use courts. It’s time we built a community where people can live, work, and play without traveling long distances for the basics.   The council owns Greenhill, and I’m excited to champion its development into a vibrant hub with walking tracks and open spaces. It’s time for real action. Vote for me, Jasdeep Kochar, and let’s build a better, more connected Mitchell Shire together.

I'm Bikram Singh, (Nick) proud son of a veteran, husband, and father of two. I'm excited to run for Mitchell Shire Council in South Ward. As a dedicated community member. I'll work tirelessly to ensure our ward receives the attention it deserves. With my liberal values and a strong background in community service and leadership, I'll bring a fresh perspective to the council. My priorities include: - Big no for council rates hikes, supporting local businesses and job creation - Improving infrastructure and community facilities (better roads with no potholes) - Enhancing public transportation and accessibility - Advocating for environmental sustainability - Fostering a sense of community through events and initiatives as a listener and problem-solver, I'll collaborate with residents, businesses, and organizations to address local concerns. My goal is to make Mitchell Shire an even better place to live, work, and raise a family. I'm committed to transparency, accountability, and inclusivity. I'd be honored to run for south ward and would be privileged earn your trust. Let's work together to build a brighter future for our community. Vote 1 for Singh Bikram and let's Begin the change for our south ward. Thank you

I am a dedicated resident of Beveridge, a nurturing mother of two, and an enthusiastic entrepreneur. Balancing my responsibilities and active involvement with the local community groups have given me profound understanding of local needs. As a candidate for the South Ward, I am thrilled to embark on a journey to preserve the unique charm and family-friendly essence of Wallan and Beveridge for generations to come. My vision is to think beyond barriers of age, ethnicity and identity for a connected community. With a solid educational background in accounting and law, I am equipped to handle town planning and managing large budgets. I am committed to resolving all the challenges faced by the residents due to rapid growth by developing sustainable infrastructure and upgrading existing facilities. I will ensure access to essential services for the community by prioritising advancement, advocacy and assurance for our shire’s development. Beyond my professional expertise, I have also experienced the joy of providing selfless service to the community through my not-for-profit organisation called Sevaa. My objective is to work diligently, humbly and responsibly for our shire to ensure that every voice is heard, valued and embraced in our shared journey. Vote 1 for Ginni Kocher

Hello, I’m Akashdeep Singh, a proud Wallan resident. I come from a family of freedom fighters in Punjab who stood for social justice and community empowerment. Inspired by their legacy, I am running as a council candidate for the Victorian Socialists to return power to the people. My Vision: As a council member, I will focus on issues crucial to our community. My priorities include: 1. Reducing Council Rates: Easing financial pressures on residents through lower rates. 2. Expanding Education: Advocating for a new secondary school and additional primary schools. 3. Enhancing Public Transport: Introducing a bus route connecting Wallan, Beveridge, and Craigieburn. 4. Alleviating Traffic Congestion: Supporting the diamond interchange to improve traffic flow on the Northern Highway. 5. Youth Engagement: Voicing up the needs of young people (particularly, Wallan Secondary School) and increasing recreational activities for children and teens. 6. Boosting Community Events: Expanding local celebrations and events to strengthen community bonds. I pledge to uphold transparency and ensure that council funds are used effectively for the benefit of Mitchell Shire. I seek your support to be a committed and responsive voice for our community. Let’s work together to make Mitchell Shire a better place to live.