I would like to say thank you to all the people that stopped to assist me.

I do not know who you are, but I remember being surrounded by your concerned faces.

You kept me calm and warm, and comforted me till the ambulance arrived.

I did not realise how badly I was injured until I arrived at hospital.

So to all you kind-hearted people, I say thank you with all my heart.

My decision to run as councillor for the Lockwood Ward was cemented after attending the ordinary council meeting held on Wednesday.

Yeas and nays were cast around the table over some of the biggest budget issues facing the City of Greater Bendigo, and sitting in the gallery I bore witness to the archaic mindset of councillors over-ride some of the more “in touch” councillors to set in place binding financial suicide.

The Bendigo Inventors Awards, of whom Cr Barry Lyon is a sitting committee member, drew my attention as I listened to how over $250,000 of ratepayers’ money will be disbursed over the coming four years, not including the $4000 waiver of fees to use Ulumburra to host meetings, despite council elections pending this coming year and despite the enormous drop in application numbers over the past four years from 151 in 2011 to 71 in 2015.

Is the councillor ensuring his committee’s success despite the real possibility he may not be re-elected?

Maybe the people of the City of Bendigo need to be more informed and as one of the possibly 20 or 30 people that attended last night, I intend to spread the word.

I am wondering if this is the budget we had to have by the government, and Treasurer Scott Morrison’s well-rehearsed lines jobs and growth.

It’s hypocritical of this government and Prime Minister to say we need to live within our means.  

Who was it that increased borrowings when they came into power?

Where are these jobs going to come from? The car and manufacturing Industries have already been scuttled, the Tasmanian milk industry has been sold off to Chinese Investors, farmer’s are being ripped-off because somebody in their wisdom thought that the free trade agreement was going to be good.

Good for whom?

Certainly not for the people on the land, where they are taking a beating from governments, banks and the weather.

Tax cuts where only a quarter of the nation benefit, still not properly addressing the rich that can afford to pay a fairer share than what they do, and the big multinational companies are not paying their fair share.

There doesn’t appear to be any real benefits to assist the elderly or disability sector, an area that is growing that’s going to need a lot of support.

Then the Reserve Bank cuts interest rates after being on hold for quite some time.

One wonders if we are heading for a recession.

This once great nation is becoming a sick and sorry nation on a downward spiral, and how much of this country do we still actually own?

When are our leaders going to make decisions for our people instead of doing everything for everyone else that comes our way with housing, health, cars and employment?