The make-up of Indigo Council could be very different after October’s election, if two women with young families have anything to do with it.
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Tenniell Evans said the previous council was made up of representatives from a mostly older generation.
“They’re focused on things that are important to their lifestyle and they’ve forgotten what it’s like to have kids,” she said.
“I’m a mum with four kids – I don’t have a disability background, I live with disability.”
The 35-year-old Barnawartha woman runs a small business with her husband Paul and two of their sons have autism, but said now was the time for her to give back to the community.
She said she was focused on family issues such as having more playgrounds in the municipality, which were away from dangerous roads, and having better access to before and after-school care.
“I’m pretty tapped into most communities,” Mrs Evans said.
“I do believe I can make a positive contribution.”
She also wanted to create a town planning strategy to house the Logic Centre workforce within the shire and encourage more start-up businesses to have a go.
The youngest candidate vying for one of the seven spots on the council table is 24-year-old Sophie Price.
The mother of a 14-month-old daughter Elsie is one of four generations of her family living in the Chiltern and Rutherglen areas.
She said she was encouraged by people from older generations to stand for the council because of her natural leadership qualities.
“Young people need a representative, our current council is not reflective of the area,” Ms Price said.
She launched a campaign earlier this year to advocate for better childcare to help working mums in the region.
Having already volunteered for Cathy McGowan during the Indi MP’s election campaign, Ms Price used that contact to get her issues on the federal agenda.
Now she hopes the people of Indigo will give her the same chance to be heard.
“It’s one thing to have a young person on council, it’s another to work with them,” Ms Price said.
She said if elected, she would take advice from more knowledgeable older representatives and hoped they would follow her lead on how to engage with youth.