[dropcap style=”font-size: 60px; color: #A02F2F;”] A[/dropcap] little bit of history will be made on Sunday (Sept 20) if, as suspected, the Liberal Party endorses a woman candidate to run for the plum seat of South West Coast for the Oct 31 by-election.
While young Tom Napthine (son of Denis) is also in the mix, the money is on either dairy advocate Roma Britnell (left), of Woolsthorpe, or former Macedon MP Donna Petrovich (centre). Glenelg Shire Cr Anita Rank (right) is also running, but not generating quite as much ‘chatter’ as her pre-selection colleagues.
Either way, it will be a first to see a female Liberal candidate running for either the seat of South West Coast or its predecessors Warrnambool and Portland.
Interesting times.
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Law graduate Ed Mahony has decided to throw his hat into the ring for the 2016 Warrnambool City Council elections.
Words and photos by Carol Altmann
[dropcap style=”font-size: 60px; color: #A02F2F;”] I [/dropcap]f next year’s Warrnambool City Council election wasn’t already shaping up as intriguing battle, it has got a whole lot more fascinating with law graduate Ed Mahony stepping into local politics.
He joins Warrnambool businesswoman Raelene Ponting as two fresh faces who have declared they will be among the 2016 candidates, giving Warrnambool ratepayers plenty of time to find out who they are, what they are about and what ideas they might bring to the table. (Former councillor Jennifer Lowe has also confirmed she will run again.)
Ed, 25, has already established himself as what media commentators call “someone to watch” with his political savviness and dynamic approach to getting things done, rather than just talking about it.
A case in point was his setting up a popular pop-up Laneway Bar in Liebig Street over the 2013-14 summer.
It was, unofficially, the first of the laneway events that rolled out in 2014 and created a buzz around what might be possible with Warrnambool’s untapped alleyways.
“A lot of people said to me at the time, ‘this is what you see in Europe’, but I said, ‘it’s also what you see in Melbourne’, so why can’t we do it here?,” Ed said.
Ed was also integral to setting up a Young Professionals Network in Warrnambool – he couldn’t believe there wasn’t already one in place – to encourage young people to stay in the area as they built their careers.
“There is this whole untapped market of young professionals who move to Warrnambool but don’t stay, or who commute back to Melbourne for their social life because they feel isolated here,” Ed explains.
“We started YPN (the other founders are Jayson Ward and Angie Paspaliaris) to address this, to offer a social network for newcomers so that they could get a sense of community here.”
Geelong Mayor Darryn Lyons is one of several mentors that Ed has had in recent years as he has shaped his political and business acumen. Image: City of Greater Geelong.
[dropcap style=”font-size: 60px; color: #A02F2F;”] E [/dropcap]d was involved in both Young Professionals Warrnambool and the pop-up Laneway Bar while still living and studying law in Melbourne.
He grew up on dairy farm in Allansford, but moved away as a teenager to boarding school and has only returned home permanently last December after being offered a job at Dwyer Robinson law firm.
“It was the job that brought me back, but I love Warrnambool. It is a great place to live, an easy place to live and I see so much potential in this city,” Ed said.
Talking to Ed, his energy levels – even at the end of a working day – spark out of him: fingers tapping, eyes bright and a nimbleness in conversation that comes from travelling widely and, along the way, being mentored by some of the best in the business.
He explains how his winning a young entrepreneurs scholarship included the chance to work with two mentors and he already had his two in mind: Melbourne Lord Mayor Robert Doyle and Geelong Mayor Darryn Lyons.
These two men, together with National’s MLC (Western Victoria) David O’Brien, have been a guiding force as Ed works out how to best utilise business and politics to build a better community.
One of the many under-utilised laneways in the Warrnambool CBD. Ed’s pop-up bar in 2013-14 was the start of a renewed focus by council to make more use of the alleyways.
[dropcap style=”font-size: 60px; color: #A02F2F;”] L [/dropcap]ike Doyle and Lyons, Ed is a member of the Liberal Party but more of the ‘wet’ Malcolm Turnbull variety – whom he often quotes – than the ‘dry’ Tony Abbott variety.
“I see myself as someone who likes to questions people’s beliefs,” he said.
“But within that you need to be open to talking, to having an informed discussion and finding the middle ground.”
There are many things a potential councillor needs to care about, but one high on Ed’s list is planning: a dry word, but one that ultimately determines the shape and feel of a city.
We talk about the urban creep of Warrnambool into the farming areas on its fringe, while the city heart beats ever more slowly and empty shops remain empty.
He has plenty of ideas on how to address this – “I am someone who always looks for opportunities rather than pessimism” – and these will no doubt form part of his election campaign.
Ironically, a few days after this conversation, Ed is in Geelong on one of the balmiest evenings in the south-west all summer. He is running a pop-up Laneway Bar (Darryn Lyons is licensee) and the place is jumping.
There is not just one vet running for South-West Coast at the next state election. Independent Michael McCluskey plans to bring his science and economic skills to the political arena. Image: Supplied.
[box]In the lead-up to the Nov 29 state election, Bluestone Magazine invited candidates from the three major parties – Liberal, ALP and Greens – to tell us why they were running for the seat of South-West Coast. Michael McCluskey is an Independent candidate who contacted us with his response to this same question. He has chosen a question and answer style.[/box]
[dropcap style=”font-size: 60px; color: #A5CECD;”] W [/dropcap]hy have you decided to run?
I have held a long term frustration with the way our political system operates, particularly in regard to the lack of science-based, ‘bigger picture’ thinking amongst our politicians. The quote ‘A statesperson thinks about the next generation whilst a politician thinks about the next election’ rings very true to me.
What skills do you believe you can offer the community and the electorate?
I believe my diverse background, in particular my strong grounding in science, would be an invaluable asset to our current political system. Initially I worked as a dairy farm hand for 3 years before joining the Federal public service as an Employment Officer.
After leaving this role I then went to spend the next 24 years as a veterinarian, serving the agricultural industry and then later the equine (horse) industry. I have also completed extra university study with units in Psychology and Economics, and obtained entry into the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists.
What are the main issues affecting our community?
I believe the main issue affecting us is the level of violence within the community. Until we more effectively deal with this issue our four main well beings – economic, social, environmental and animal well being – will never realise their full potential.
Violence in our community, including family violence, must be tackled if we are to progress across a range of areas. Image: www.stylemagazine.com.
[dropcap style=”font-size: 60px; color: #A5CECD;”] W [/dropcap]hat other issues are important to you?
Health care– Currently our pets and racehorses receive access to a better healthcare system than what most humans do, particularly in relation to surgery waiting lists. A well funded and wisely operated health system, with timely access to needed care will bring greater economic and social well being both in the short and long term.
Education– If we look at any community throughout the world there is little doubt access to education is a key determinant of how well a society functions, both economically and socially. Whether one takes a trade, university or other creative pathway, we need to do all we can to maximise access to these pathways, including restoring the TAFE system.
Public transport– an efficient, well funded public transport system, along with the provision of quality roads will produce a significant boost to the economic, social and environmental well being of all our communities.
Fracking for natural gas mining– the known short term and unknown long term risks associated with injecting many millions of litres of chemically laden fluids into the ground/aquifers outweighs the potential benefits. It took politicians nearly 80 years to acknowledge lead in petrol was harmful to our children. For the sake of our grandchildren we can’t afford to wait another 80 years on this issue.
[dropcap style=”font-size: 60px; color: #A5CECD;”] W [/dropcap]hy didn’t you run through a political party?
My concern is once in the party system, the ability to speak one’s mind and act with one’s head and heart can be stifled, which for me defeats the purpose of being in politics in the first place. If we can’t vote with our conscious on every issue, are we really being true to ourselves and to our electorate?
How can we fund these important issues you have raised?
Reducing wastage within our system is one key component. $100 wisely spent is better than $1000 poorly spent. Tapping into some of the billions of dollars entering our superannuation system presents an opportunity as well. It would help fund vital projects in healthcare, education and public transport, as well giving super funds a safe, alternative asset class in which to invest in. In the ‘chase for yield’ there is already concerns about asset prices being pushed beyond fair value due to pent up investment demand.
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