I live in Ballarat East and have been a resident in the Central Ward of Ballarat for four years. Working as a Disability Support Worker for the past five years has given me a strong sense of social justice, compassion and respect for disadvantaged members of our community. It has also provided some great experiences and certainly developed my sense of humour, a neccessity in that line of work. I'm currently employed at Calkendren Respite Services in Ballarat East.

In 2004 I decided to develop my passion for social justice and began a Diploma in Community Welfare Work, which I completed at the University of Ballarat recently. This gave me experience working at a community house in a disadvantaged area of Ballarat. The inspiring people I met during that time reinforced my passions and gave me an understanding of the successes and failures of community development in Ballarat.

I am currently studying for a Certificate IV in Disability Services and as well as my disability work, I am a part time Electorate Officer for Colleen Hartland, a Greens Member of Parliament for the Western Metropolitan Region and Western Victoria. My extensive work experience has given me a strong understanding of organisational systems, financial management and administration.

In my spare time I enjoy organic gardening, camping, live music, reading and spending time with my partner, two dogs and three chickens.

My partner of nine years, Asha, is a Youth Counsellor for Ballarat Secondary College. We love Ballarat and have begun making our lives more sustainable, with a large water tank plumbed into the house, a vegie garden, fruit trees and chickens. The next step is solar hot water, solar power and improving insulation and efficiency. These options for reducing bills and being more sustainable need to be accessible and affordable for everyone and new developments need to start off with the options built-in.

I was involved in organising the first Walk Against Warming in Ballarat, bringing people together who would go on to form Ballarat Renewable Energy and Zero Emissions (BREaZE). Ballarat has a great opportunity to lead the way in developing renewable energy, sustainable living and independent security in food and energy.

Recognising the relationship between the environment, the economy and our community, there are opportunities to improve community health and wellbeing as well as our environment that will save us all money. We need to focus our health services on prevention and early intervention.

I strongly believe in community participation in decision making. That means having regular ward meetings so residents can ask questions of their councillors and put forward their ideas. Council needs to involve the community more in making decisions, especially relating to how they spend our money and on planning decisions.

There has never been a more important time to have Greens in local government. We face great challenges in the water crisis, climate change and peak oil. Ballarat must seize the opportunities to take a lead in tackling these issues or we will be left behind and end up paying more dearly. All that we need is some passion, creativity, leadership and the ability to listen.

To contact me, please send an email to jon.stanger@vic.greens.org.au or call 0415 755 181.

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