The Northern Grampians Shire Council Kara Kara Ward by-election is quickly approaching and one nominee is hoping she can join council to help the community develop their ideas and plans.
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On Wednesday January 20, treasurer of the St Arnaud Community Resource Centre Catriona Thoolen's nomination for the Northern Grampians Shire Council Kara Kara Ward by-election was confirmed along with three others.
Ms Thoolen said she is focussed on supporting the ideas of others.
"My idea is that I can be a conduit to council for the people around here, and it is less about my ideas and more about getting other people's ideas through to the right people," she said.
"I just want to help support people who are already doing things, I think we have something like 150 different community groups.
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"Everyone seems to have so much trouble every time they have to get the council involved.
"Obviously people feel like when they individually try and work with council they have trouble, all these people are doing all these things and there is not enough help," she said.
Ms Thoolen has lived in the area for around 15 years, and owns a house in St Arnaud plus a farm further out of town.
She has also had experience working in many different places, giving her the people skills she believes are required for the role.
"I have worked in small businesses, owned small businesses, worked in big multinationals and so I have learnt to work in a team and with others with different opinions and I can deal with people," she said.
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"I find it much easier to fight for other people than to fight for myself and I think there is lots of support that is needed, people don't know where to go to get it and I want to be the way in.
"It is really just about representing the community so that they can come to me first and I can find out who is the right person for you so we can get this moving along.
"We should be representing what the people who live here want and that's what a good councillor is, representing others not themselves."
Ballot packs will be mailed to eligible voters from Tuesday, February 2, with voting closing at 6pm on Friday, February 19.
For more information about the by-election visit vec.vic.gov.au.
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