Eddy, with his family, have established a mixed farming enterprise at Stuart Mill and have been members of the community since late last century (1999). In addition, Eddy has operated a consulting engineering business for 30 years primarily focussed on the water, food production, power generation, oil and gas industries throughout Australia and in the US, Germany, UK, Sweden, Norway, Vietnam and New Zealand. The St Arnaud, Willaura and Lake Bolac water treatment plants were designed and developed by Eddy using many local trades and contractors within the local communities that they serve. He has designed and built a whisky and spirits distillery on farm that will use locally produced wheat and barley and is powered by renewable energy to generate electricity and hot water. These provide evidence of Eddy's central philosophy that nothing is impossible and follows John Symond's view that the best way of predicting the future is to create it. Eddy is a professional engineer with post graduate degrees including a PhD and has operated his own business for three decades so he has the experience and ability to critically analyse engineering and financial issues that can define solutions to complex issues. Eddy was appointed as an Adjunct Professor and is a member of the Research Institute at Victoria University. Education, infrastructure, business development, community consultation and development are central platforms that are important to Eddy and these will be key drivers if he is elected to Council. Community activities include Stuart Mill Progress Association President and Recreation Reserve Committee Secretary, SCAN member, CFA firefighter and training officer, St Arnaud Renewable Energy Community Hub and Avon Lakes Steering Committees, past president of two sporting clubs and Past member of St Patrick's Primary School and Highview College boards. Please exercise your democratic right and vote in this election.

With the amazing work of Kyle Torney and the local interest groups and landowners and businesses who worked so hard to bring our silo and town art to life, our town and district needs to move forward building infrastructure to attract and hold tourists in town longer and develop our retail trade. The broader community is not impressed by our lack of recycling and deteriorating camping and recreation areas. As an important support to surrounding farms, St Arnaud needs this growth to hold its position. Improved signage and infrastructure and more formal management for free camping, with a closer watch on road maintenance - which too often lags behind and deters travellers through our district - plus delays in development of the silo precinct are slowing our ability to capitalise on this amazing achievement. The loss of Lake Batyo Catyo and Upper Teddington in recent years is impacting badly on the appeal and promotion of St Arnaud and its many empty buildings which could develop jobs for our young, reasons to remain in town and encourage new families for our schools and clubs. Our highly productive farming district and good land management is lagging in public areas, especially those run by the state. Only strong representation in Stawell can achieve better partnerships with Parks Victoria and water management authorities to reverse this trend and gain much deserved support from Melbourne. Our small population needs a louder voice and our council more courage. Now is the time to build and promote Kara Kara as the gateway to the Silo Trail and to team up with other Northern Grampians districts to better coordinate the facilities in surrounding forests under state management. We need restored faith in our council and we need to follow it up with promotion.

My name is Catriona Thoolen. I moved with my family to St Arnaud in 2005 to give our son a freer environment to grow up in. For five years I was on the Secondary College School Council (and Curriculum, Building and Grounds, and Finance subcommittees). I have been a Registered Builder (DB-U) and Free-Range Egg farmer, so I have experience in small business. Prior to that, I have worked for multinational businesses in Engineering, Purchasing and Marketing, so I understand the needs of large businesses too. More recently I have been volunteering at the St Arnaud Community Resource Centre and am also a member of the Committee that overviews the centre. It has been my time at the Resource Centre that has developed my desire to become a councillor. I have met people who are in need locally. Young people needing jobs and/or training and older people struggling to make ends meet. With the knowledge I have gained at the centre, I feel that I could be a channel from the people in Kara Kara ward to the council so the needs and wants of the area can be given the attention that many feel is sometimes lacking from the shire. My aim would be to work with the council to help create an environment that supports jobs, both self-employment and business startups. I believe that there are more ways for our shire to support people wanting to start businesses and that costs to new businesses that create new jobs should be given financial support rather than additional costs from NG Shire.

Hello. I request that you trust me with your vote. I believe that I can make a positive contribution to the council through my extensive commercial business background and skills specialising in financial analysis, complex legal documentation, optimisation of resources, organisational effectiveness, and project management. I have worked in senior management roles in advertising, information technology and most recently property management across multiple private schools after moving to Victoria. I am fortunate to not only been able to retire from full time work, but also to have moved to St Arnaud in 2018. Although my work has been in much larger and complex organisations. I am standing to offer my broad range of skills and experience to the Northern Grampians Shire and have already noted many aspects evident from of the annual reports since 2005-2006. As a region, I think we need a clearer understanding of what we are about, and that may allow more clarity in our tourism strategy. We need our locals and council to embrace what we have and work together to maintain the physical assets in our towns such as benches and signs that seem neglected compared to our parks. Many initiatives outlined in the draft St Arnaud Community Plan 2020 would benefit from more detailed project planning with specific timelines and accountabilities. There are numerous community groups who own these challenges, but as a Kara Kara councillor, I trust my experience may assist in improving links between the dedicated groups and the council. I am now offering myself to your service. As an elected councillor, I will be open to all approaches and understand the role is on behalf of all in Kara Kara and my responsibility is to understand and reflect the views of the broader community rather than my personal views. Thank You.