It's the one most of us have the most contact with - roads, rubbish, parks, ovals, basketball courts, maternity centres, immunisations, planning, footpaths, changerooms etc.

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As a result, it's the level of government that can have the biggest impact on our daily lives. And that's why it needs to be stable, responsible and positive.

A stable, responsible, and positive council can work with state and federal governments to deliver big projects that create jobs.

A stable, responsible and positive council can create tourism opportunities that help our small businesses survive and thrive.

A stable, responsible and positive council can create the right economic conditions to attract industries from other parts of the state and the country.

A stable, responsible and positive council is not one you want to put at risk.

Bendigo has been lucky, especially lately. While our sister cities in Ballarat and Geelong struggle with party politics, alliances, and factions, Bendigo has forged ahead.

A stable, responsible, and positive council helped build a $630 million hospital, and create the right conditions for three huge government building projects to come to the CBD - TAFE, law courts and the Gov Hub.

A stable, positive, and responsible council has created the conditions that has seen multiple consortia plan for big hotels. These kinds of projects are the only way a city the size of Bendigo can create jobs quickly. We need these projects, and more of them. The flow-on from these projects will help tens of thousands of us, wherever we live across Greater Bendigo.

That's why we need stability, positivity, and responsibility. I have covered councils in Victoria and New South Wales for almost 30 years. I have seen good and bad councils. And Bendigo is one of the best.

Bendigo icon steeped in heritage is now filled with 19th century treasuresThat's because we haven't had election candidates that are focused on nasty dirt campaigns rather than letting you know what they stand for. We haven't had organised alliances and tickets run by non-candidates, raising the question of who candidates will be accountable to if they are elected. That is, until now.

A stable, responsible, and positive council is one that will be best placed to attract the public and private investment we need, more than ever. We can't afford to elect councillors who align themselves to nastiness and negativity.

Bendigo is better than this.