Susie Hawke will be the newest Eppalock Ward councillor.

Ms Hawke will officially accept the position on Friday.

She will be sworn in as a councillor on Monday.

Earlier

SUSIE Hawke has expressed interest in replacing Yvonne Wrigglesworth as a councillor for the City of Greater Bendigo.

A countback of Ms Wrigglesworth's 5774 votes in the 2016 council election determined her successor, however Ms Hawke was absent from today's countback and needed to be contacted.

She was invited to return a declaration of eligibility within 48 hours.

Returning officer Katrina Collins said Ms Hawke had expressed interest in taking up the role, but a successful candidate would not be declared until an eligibility form was returned.

Another countback will take place if today's process does not result in a successful candidate.

Six candidates stood to receive a second chance at representing the Eppalock Ward.

They included Colin Carrington, Helen Leach, Geoff Stephens, Mark Weragoda, and Brenton Johnson.

Rosemary Glaisher was no longer eligible to be elected as a councillor, as she no longer lived in the area.

Yvonne Wrigglesworth resigned from council last month, after calling out the use of 'ring card girls' at a council-sponsored boxing match in Bendigo weeks earlier.

Ms Wrigglesworth cited a difference in values between herself and the majority of her fellow councillors as reason for her resignation.

Her absence was felt by a number of councillors at September's meeting, with Cr Andrea Metcalf calling for answers from the local government's leaders.

Mayor Margaret O'Rourke said council would welcome Ms Hawke if she was declared successful.

Ms Wrigglesworth's 5774 votes were distributed to the remaining eligible candidates in the 2016 election according to voters' preferences.

Her ballot papers were the only ones under scrutiny during the countback.

All participating candidates had zero votes at the beginning of the scrutiny.

The countback resulted in 2957 votes for Ms Hawke.

Mr Carrington, Mr Stephens, Mr Weragoda, and Mr Johnson were excluded before it was determined Ms Hawke should be invited to join council.

Mr Carrington was the only candidate present at the countback.

The new councillor will have an unusually short term, joining the council about a year before the next ordinary election.

"We'll be certainly working very closely to assist Susie to bring her up to speed because obviously three years have passed and there's lots of information she will need to learn but it's about being patient and also asking the questions for her to learn as well," Cr O'Rourke said.

Council will continue to consist of four females and five males if Ms Hawke replaces Ms Wrigglesworth.

"It's always great to have some gender balance around whether it's a board or a council, so it's great to have a female replacing a female," Cr O'Rourke said.

Ms Hawke decided to run for council in the hopes of increasing the number of women on council and ensuring a range of community views were being represented.

The Kennington resident did not believe her views as an active mother of three were clearly represented by the council of the day.

"I have decided to run for council as I'd like to see more representation from the average or typical Bendigo resident," Ms Hawke said.

She believed local government was more than "the old triple r" of roads, rates and rubbish.

"I agree these are all issues local councils need to support and advance, but I would like to make children and families a high priority," Ms Hawke said.

A speech pathologist, she had about 25 years of experience working in health, education, disability and government.

Her aspirations as a councillor included keeping the council accountable to its aims in the Municipal Early Years Plan.

"Children are the future of our city, we need to support their development," Ms Hawke said.

Introducing herself to the media in 2016, she said she knew she was not a high-profile resident and might not be successful in her bid for election.

"But I can't sit idly by and not at least have a try," she said.

Today's countback was the second since the 2016 council election.

Councillor Malcolm Pethybridge replaced Julie Hoskin in October 2018.

Cr O'Rourke said having had two countbacks in one council term was unusual.

"Four years is a long time and a lot of things change over that time as well, it's always unpredictable," she said.

"We'll just move forward once we have all of the paperwork signed off."

Cr O'Rourke is one of two existing Eppalock Ward councillors.

Cr George Flack received the highest proportion of first preference votes in 2016, at 17.91 per cent.

Cr O'Rourke followed, with 16.1 per cent.

Ms Wrigglesworth was elected with 14.41 per cent of first preference votes.

Ms Hawke placed fifth out of 10 candidates in 2016. She was contacted for comment.

Susie Hawke

Why are you standing as a candidate in the City of Greater Bendigo council election?

I decided to stand for council in July this year. Although rather a late decision compared to other candidates in this current election, it is something that I have always thought about doing. The reasons that prompted my nomination for this tenure include the desire to make a change and to raise the profile of the importance of the early years, children and families. I think we need an overhaul of current councillors to ensure we have more diversity of views. I think the Bendigo community has lost a little respect for our current council due to some bickering and inappropriate behaviour of a few. It's time for a change and some fresh faces with fresh ideas. That's why I am standing at this election.

What can you offer as a candidate?

I can offer a wealth of experience in the area of networking, collaboration and partnership building which I have gained through my work coordinating many regional and statewide projects. I also have extensive experience in the area of early childhood development and supporting families to raise their children to be the best they can be. I have a great deal of knowledge about the disability sector having worked for Scope Loddon Mallee for 8 years. I am part of a very active and sporting focussed family so have current knowledge of the needs for sport and recreation in our region. I can also offer the perspective of a busy working mother, who doesn't necessarily own a business or is a company director, but a real person who can represent the needs of a whole community.

What qualities do you believe are important for a councillor?

I believe the ability to work together with others, respect others view even if they are not your own, and the ability to listen to others are the most important qualities for a councillor. I think the ability to get things done or do the work needed, as well as ensuring deadlines are met or timelines adhered to, are also very important. A councillor needs to be a team player, but also have the ability to be a leader and initiate tasks when required.

What are your three top priorities for your ward, and why?

My top three priorities are children and families, sport and recreation and support for people of all abilities. High quality early years services and supports need to be front and centre in our communities. Improvements in health, education and employment outcomes stem from the support given to children aged zero to eight years. Children need families who are well supported to help develop their children's skills. Sport and recreation are keys to developing and maintaining healthy lifestyles. I will continue to advocate for upgraded sporting facilities across the municipality. Having worked in the local disability sector for eight years I am aware of the needs of people with disabilities. With rollout of the National Disability Insurance Scheme in May 2017 the council needs to stay abreast of local issues in this area and I believe I have much experience and knowledge to share. I think the biggest priority though should be listening to the community and representing their views. There are many individual issues being raised as platforms for people in this election. If elected I would represent the views of all residents in the Greater City of Bendigo, and not just those of the Eppalock Ward.

What issue in our community are you most passionate about?

I am most passionate about the early years and supporting children to develop into the best person they can be. We need to ensure that children are well supported in their first few years of life as most of our brain develops between the ages of zero to three. Quality education and care is a priority in the early years so children have the best potential to learn to communicate, develop good oral language and literacy skills, and enter the school system with skills that support lifelong learning. If children remain engaged in school they will have better outcomes for education, employment, health and wellbeing. The research is very clear that if you support children in the early years they will have better outcomes later in life. This also means less money will be required to support additional assistance at school for children not meeting benchmarks, less money needed for juvenile justice as more children are kept out of the justice system and less money required for healthcare services as people are healthier. Communities need to support families to help raise their children as they spend the majority of their time in the care of their parents or carers in these early years.

What are the biggest challenges facing greater Bendigo?

As with many regional communities, poor educational outcomes, disengaged youth, juvenile justice issues and declining health are all current challenges for the City of Greater Bendigo. Supporting children in the early years and supporting families to help raise their children to be the best they can be will help tackle all of these challenges. We need quality early years services to support children and families. I believe Bendigo and the surrounding communities are great places to live and we have a thriving tourism industry with many major events already brought to Bendigo. I therefore believe another challenge for Bendigo is to maintain this positive momentum and for our council to regain the respect of the people so that they can support communities to flourish and showcase Bendigo as not only a great place to visit, but also a great place to live and raise a family.

If you were a councillor during the last term, what would you have done differently? For those who served the last term, what would you have done differently?

If I was a councillor during the last term I would have tried to ensure that we all worked together more effectively and that issues were worked out behind closed doors rather than being 'splashed across the media'. I think this really affected the community's level of respect for council which has been lost for many. I would also have tried to ensure once again that any divisive issues were discussed and debated in a respectful way to ensure our town wasn't seen by many as a town not inclusive of many religions, cultures and views.

Are you, or have you ever been, aligned with a political party? If so, which?

I am not currently, nor have I ever been, aligned to any political party. I am running as an independent in this election.

Colin Carrington

Why are you standing as a candidate in the City of Greater Bendigo council election?

As a 24 year ratepayer of Bendigo council, I believe much can be improved within council by more effective representation of ratepayers, residents, and all types of business, by councillors who have had both business and 'real life' experience. I am not a retired person receiving substantial superannuation or other investment income to live on. I am a self-funded retiree, on a relatively low income who can identify with the pain experienced by the average 'Jane and Joe' ratepayers and citizens, particularly pensioners, others on low incomes, families and the considerable percentage of the population within council boundaries who currently have no effective voice.

What qualities do you believe are important for a councillor?

Has the time to effectively represent ratepayers, citizens, I do not believe candidates who hold full time responsible and demanding jobs could have the time to do so.

Be a good listener. Prepared to listen to residents and community groups. For that has obviously not been occurring with many of our current councillors.

Prepared to do independent research. Not believe everything that has been prepared by council officers in reports and recommendations.

Respond promptly to requests.

Have the intellect, good manners, dress and bearing to represent Bendigo council consistently, in positive and effective ways. As a retired Army Reserve Major, former small businessman, citizen involved in community groups, I have experience and a proven record of being able to comply with those requirements.

Work with, but not be 'led by the CEO and council senior officers'.

Be able to work as a team with fellow councillors. But achieving that may well depend on the courtesy and willingness of other councillors to reciprocate.

Be an effective verbal and written communicator. I am an experienced public speaker and hold a TAFE Diploma in Professional Writing and Editing.

Able to effectively chair meetings.

What are your three top priorities for your ward, and why?

Strathfieldsaye, Junortoun and Heathcote district are not being afforded the attention and priorities each deserve. I will advocate strongly for a swimming pool at fast growing Strathfieldsaye, but as 'all the eggs and money' have been put into one basket, with the Aquatic, Leisure and Wellbeing Centre at Kangaroo Flat it will be ten years or more before council can afford a 25 metre pool for Strathfieldsaye. And any other major infrastructure for that matter.

Ensuring rates for the Eppalock ward, and all of Bendigo council are capped to CPI or less.

Council must advocate with VicRoads for an additional inwards lane, at least, in Condon Street and Townsend Street to ease the traffic congestion coming from the direction of Strathfieldsaye and Strathdale into Bendigo. Why councillors in current and past term have not fought for this obvious need is beyond me.

What issue in our community are you most passionate about?

HACC Home and Community Care for the elderly, disabled and disadvantaged members of our communities.

Although this vital service has continued under the control of Bendigo council, the service has been considerably reduced with there being no weekend care, for many people in real need. Enormous strain and workload has been placed on the home carers. Elderly, disabled and disadvantaged residents must receive the same care 'service' they previously were getting.

I am concerned about unemployment, in all age groups. More needs to be done to help our youth population to gain employment, or at least have some more meeting places and options of a range of activities to 'keep them off the street' active, to minimise obesity. Projects such as, The Neighbourhood Project, started by 'youth - for youth' must be supported by council.

The lack of footpaths and effective street lighting in many of the long established parts of inner Bendigo suburbs is nothing short of disgraceful.

Communities in the urban and rural townships such as Heathcote particularly, continually have projects in their Community Plans, in priority order, but more often than not they take years to materialise, if in fact ever.

What are the biggest challenges facing greater Bendigo?

Returning council to 'the people'. The council, particularly over the past 8 years has not been effectively listening to the majority of the people, and consulting with them.

Planning for future growth of Bendigo is vital.

The current situation of the CEO having expenditure powers that do not have to be approved by councillors is concerning.

Also, the CEO literally having carte blanche, in creating new positions.

The Defined Superannuation Liability Scheme, that will require millions of dollars of ongoing payments by council into the future must be better managed.

Hard decisions must be made, as to just how many millions of dollars can continue to be 'lost' annually by council continuing to prop up Art Gallery and Theatres losses, while subsidising Tourism heavily.

Claims of need for accepting diversity do not resonate with me. The recently approved Cultural Diversity and Inclusion Plan I do not see as needed nor necessary. In the past people from a huge variety of countries and cultures have settled in Bendigo and district and largely 'taken up the Australian way of life'. Who is being pandered to, or for what reasons are the citizens of Bendigo council 'being prepared for' by establishing a CDIP?

Are you, or have you ever been, aligned with a political party? If so, which?

I am not a member of any political party. I've been a swinging voter all my life.

I did support Greg Bickley (Liberal) in the 2013 Federal election for the seat of Bendigo.

Also, at the most recent state election when Greg contested Bendigo East.

The reasons I did so on both occasions were, I believed Mr Bickley was 'the best candidate'.

Helen Leach

Why are you standing as a candidate in the City of Greater Bendigo council election?

I am standing for re-election in 2016 because I believe that I can continue to be an effective councillor, working for the good of the ratepayers and residents of the City of Greater Bendigo. It's all very well to have a wish list as a candidate, but the reality is there needs to be a majority to actually achieve these aims.

I will continue to ask the hard questions; to pursue accountability and transparency.

What I am most concerned about at present is the affordability of this 'City'; it's all very well to talk about 'liveability', but if the cost of living pressures - exacerbated by unaffordable (for many) council rates - are distressing our residents, then we must lower our costs, lower the council rates and give the residents a break.

What qualities do you believe are important for a councillor?

I believe that a willingness to pursue honesty and transparency for the benefit of the residents, together with a commitment to represent them and their needs before Council; persistence, hard work, having experience in business.

I would like a fairer distribution of resources throughout the municipality; large projects like new public conveniences in Heathcote, a community hub in Redesdale, adequate and safe footpaths and cycle paths for the smaller towns and better roads for our rural areas are things that I would like to achieve.

A waste to energy regional facility and a municipal organic waste processing plant are essential. Adequate carparking will, I think, revitalize the CBD.

What I'm most passionate about though is the affordability of the Greater City. We cannot claim to be the state's or nation's most liveable regional city if a large proportion of our residents are in financial stress.

I think the City of Greater Bendigo can provide the necessary facilities and services operating on a much smaller budget and financial contribution by the ratepayers.

Future water security, waste minimization and processing, affordable renewable energy, jobs and industry are crucial for the whole of Australia, but I would like to see action in this City.

Are you, or have you ever been, aligned with a political party? If so, which?

I have not been endorsed by any political party.

Geoff Stephens

Why are you standing as a candidate in the City of Greater Bendigo council election?

I have been present at most public council meetings for the last four years and have witnessed disharmony and bullying.

I have also seen some very good initiatives and decisions.

There have been very inconsistent Planning decisions handed down and an amount of rubber stamping.

Like so many candidates in the past, I too would like to see these trends stopped.

Consistency and respect must be adopted at the council table. The image and reputation of Bendigo has suffered due to unpopular decisions, disharmony and a lack of transparency and community involvement.

Given the right mix of new councillors with foresight, respect, skills, knowledge and passion for the entire community, we can improve our image and reputation.

What can you offer as a candidate?

I offer my skills in contract management and control to get best results for our dollars. The saving could then be used for infrastructure improvements.

I have small business skills, building knowledge, planning knowledge and advocate for bringing council closer to the corporate/operational arm of CoGB.

I treat all people with respect, regardless of our differences of opinion.

I would enhance the possibility of council harmony.

What qualities do you believe are important for a councillor?

I have true political independence.

I possess skills and knowledge in most areas of importance to council.

It is essential that we work in a team.

I have experience on Boards and as a Director.

I have had a business for 22 years and have successfully managed it.

I have respect for the opinions of others.

I possess a good understanding of finances.

Respect for the community, a listening ear and assurances that I will act.

What are your three top priorities for your ward, and why?

The common thread from voters while campaigning has been 'fix the council'. This would have to be priority 1.

Basic infrastructure improvements. (Roads, drains and footpaths)

Public land beautification/maintenance.

Water level in Lake Eppalock.

These have to be prioritized together with the other Ward projects however, each of the Eppalock priorities are common to all wards. Water levels in Eppalock have a major effect on Heathcote, Axedale and Redesdale but also all of Bendigo in tourism during the summer months.

What issue in our community are you most passionate about?

I am passionate about a number of issues:

Council image improvement.

Limit the waste in council spending.

Coming back to what are the council basics. (Establish and service the infrastructure and essential services for the community)

What are the biggest challenges facing greater Bendigo?

Salvage the image of Bendigo.

Build the community's respect and trust of council.

Make Bendigo the most liveable city. (Not just talk about it. Do it.)

Are you, or have you ever been, aligned with a political party? If so, which?

I have never had a political affiliation.

Mark Weragoda

Why are you standing as a candidate in the City of Greater Bendigo council election?

I believe in our community. Our vibrant municipality needs continuity in its delivery of projects and infrastructure. I am passionate about Bendigo, Heathcote, Strathfieldsaye, Readsdale, Axedale, Eppalock, Junortoun and surrounding areas. I will work harder to achieve good, vibrant and affordable outcomes for communities and individuals. It is important to have community minded business people as Councillors not aligned with single issues. As a local businessman owning my own business for the last 27 years and a Rotarian for 25 years, receiving a Paul Harris Fellow for service above self, and serving as Assistant Governor and International Director, I talk to communities with common threads and objectives. This is simply about listing and helping communities to achieve outcomes. This is about community engagement and which is a key factor for our City.

What can you offer as a candidate?

As an Eppalock Ward Councillor for the past four years, I have gained a sound understanding of the needs and aspirations for the ward. I have completed my Diploma in Local Government which cements Governance, Diplomacy and Advocacy. As Chair of the Lake Eppalock Land and On Water Management Group, I look forward to working strongly to achieve outcomes for the long term future of the lake and all user groups. It is as important to promote this catchment through Tourism for recreational as it is for irrigation. I have gained a valuable understanding on the finances of the City by sitting on the Finance Committee. I sit on the Heritage Advisory Committee, Bendigo Art Gallery board and the Airport Advisory Committee. Our heritage, tourism and connecting regional cities only boost our economy, employment and industry growth. Advocating to all levels of Government is fundamental to the growth of our city and I have good relationships with Ministers and Parliamentarians. As a local businessman owning my own business for the last 27 years and a Rotarian for 25 years, I talk to communities with common threads and objectives.

What qualities do you believe are important for a councillor?

A Councillor must have qualities of diplomacy and show respect for communities in all walks of life. He or she must be able to sell our city with passion encourage growth and employment through Tourism, Arts, Heritage and Industry.

What are your three top priorities for your ward, and why?

Advocate for a new Toilet Block at Heathcote. Work with Strathfieldsaye community in implementing the Strathfieldsaye Town Centre Urban Design Framework. Work with all Lake Eppalock user groups to achieve positive outcomes

What issue in our community are you most passionate about?

Being inclusive and mindful in the delivery of projects with accountability. Communities understand that the City has achieved remarkable strategies over the last four years, such as the Housing Strategy, Compact City, Integrated Transport and the Land use Strategy. We need to build on these with positive outcomes.

What are the biggest challenges facing greater Bendigo?

Keeping up with our population growth and delivering services. Affording everything communities want with limited funding as a result of capped rates.

If you were a councillor during the last term, what would you have done differently?

For those who served the last term, what would you have done differently? I would have worked harder to understand the business and finances quicker so that I could explain to communities the delivery process of projects and how they are prioritised through the council plan and budget.

Are you, or have you ever been, aligned with a political party? If so, which? I am not politically aligned and have never been.

Brenton Johnson

Why are you standing as a candidate in the City of Greater Bendigo council election?

- Currently over 25% of the output of the Australian economy is digital. There is no councillors with a digital background on council (1)

- 50% of the population of Bendigo is under 40 but there is no one under 40 on council. On Council, the average age is 60 (2). This is has left a large section of the community under represented and feeling like their voices aren't being heard.

What can you offer as a candidate?

What qualities do you believe are important for a councillor?

What are your three top priorities for your ward, and why?

What issue in our community are you most passionate about?

What are the biggest challenges facing greater Bendigo?

If you were a councillor during the last term, what would you have done differently? For those who served the last term, what would you have done differently?

Are you, or have you ever been, aligned with a political party? If so, which?

No, I am completely independent. I am not a member of a political party and never have been. My Priority is Bendigo and I will work with whoever I need to work with in order to get the job done.

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