General News
24 September, 2024
Keep rural focus of shire, says candidate
A FOCUS on support for all rural aspects of the Loddon Shire was essential, Miki Wilson said after lodging her nomination for Inglewood Ward in next month’s Loddon Shire elections. Ms Wilson became the third declared candidate for the ward after...
A FOCUS on support for all rural aspects of the Loddon Shire was essential, Miki Wilson said after lodging her nomination for Inglewood Ward in next month’s Loddon Shire elections.
Ms Wilson became the third declared candidate for the ward after former councillor Colleen Condliffe said she would challenge sitting councillor Wendy Murphy.
Cr Murphy defeated Mrs Condliffe by a margin of 43 votes after preferences four years ago.
Ms Wilson said: “Essentially, Loddon is a rural community and supporting rural aspects is essential.
“I want to sure we don’t get carried away with city centric ideology, maintaining the focus on our predominantly rural community.”
Ms Wilson lives at Serpentine with her husband who owns farms in the Serpentine and Bridgewater districts.
She last month was critical of Cr Murphy and Tarnagulla Ward’s Linda Jungwirth when they abstained from a vote to support continued opposition by the Murray River Group of Councils to oppose Federal Government’s water buybacks.
“Both councillors provided very feeble reasons for abstaining - Cr Jungwirth stating ‘I am not an expert in this area’ and Cr Murphy stating she did not have enough information. I doubt any councillor in the entire group is an expert in the area and I would assume councillors are privy to the same amount of information to inform their decisions,” she wrote.
“By abstaining, and not declaring their opposition, I would suggest they have tried to veil their outright objections to the proposal - which is most likely not in the interest of the municipalities they represent, but in the interest of state government agendas.”
Ms Wilson, now retired, has worked across all federal, state and local government and was previously acting manager of governance with Greater Bendigo.
She has previously been on the risk and audit committee of Metropolitan Fire Brigade and has been on the board of Bendigo Stadium and Single Mother’s Association of Victoria.
Ms Wilson said: “I am running to make sure there is a choice of candidates, It’s very important in a democracy.”
“I am interested in roadside management, waste and making sure businesses can thrive.”