Vol. No. Vol. 2718No. 1527
FREE PUBLICATION
A FREE PUBLICATION FROM YOUR LOCAL RADIO STATIONS 3WM AND MIXXFM
Wednesday, 2016 Wednesday,January October13, 9, 2024
RACING IN THE RAIN: Wet weather on Saturday affected many of the region’s sports and events, but it didn’t stop Lewis Kucina and Ethan Turnbull enjoying the karting at Dooen. Wimmera Kart Racing Club hosted round five of the Victorian Country Series, which provided a full day of action. More pictures, page 47. Picture: PAUL CARRACHER
Candidates quizzed E
BY LAUREN HENRY
xpenditure on projects, traffic matters, youth advocacy and attendance at council meetings were hot topics at a forum for Horsham council candidates on Monday night.
The public had a chance to hear directly from 14 of the 15 candidates at the forum, hosted by The Weekly Advertiser, 3WM and MIXX FM. The forum attracted about 50 people to Coughlin Park Community Centre, while hundreds tuned in via a Facebook page stream. Candidates were allocated two minutes each to outline their background
and reasons for standing for council, followed by questions from the public, and finishing with a one-minute final pitch from each candidate. All candidates, except Les Power who was unavailable, were present at the forum, with each giving an insight into their views about past council decisions and its future direction. The forum also gave the public an opportunity to hear from two candidates who will be elected councillors after two ward elections were uncontested. Rebecca Sluggett, Kalimna, and Brian Klowss, Wyn Wyn, will be officially sworn in as councillors after
results for all wards are officially declared on November 15. Voters will begin receiving ballot packs in the post this week, with voting to close on October 25. Mr Klowss, a broadacre sheep and cropping farmer, outlined his extensive experience on committees of community groups. “I feel this has given me a lot of experience to step into this role. I’d like to see councillors getting back into the community, especially sitting in on community and reference groups, and ensure the information is returning back to council correctly,” he said. Mr Klowss said rural roads and an
equitable rating system that was fair for the whole community were his priorities. “It should be mandatory that we encourage the agricultural sector because that’s the lifeblood of Horsham,” he said. Mrs Sluggett said she hoped to achieve improved community engagement, sensible and sustainable budgets, and planning schemes and project plans that reflected community sentiment. “I look forward to doing my part in building a strong team, with any of the candidates that you elect,” she said. All candidates declared they were
not a member of a political party, and answered further questions about money being spent on other areas of the municipality rather than the riverfront. May Park candidate Cameron McDonald advised attendees to read the council’s 2023-24 budget. “You will be equally as horrified as I am – I’m going through it line by line and they started last year with $6-million up and now they’re $5-million in the red, and that’s looking like going a further $6-million next year and up to $20-million in four year’s time – in the red,” he said. Continued page 3
IN THIS ISSUE • Northern Grampians, Hindmarsh candidate profiles • Horsham spring garden festival feature Phone: 03 5382 1351 Read it online: www.theweeklyadvertiser.com.au
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