Far-right party backs South Ward candidate

AUSTRALIA First Party’s Susan Jakobi is a South Ward candidate in this month’s City of Ballarat Council elections.

Settling here five years ago, she said she has always been in awe of Ballarat, its architecture, its history and its “friendly, healthy, helpful” people. But in that time, Ms Jakobi said she’s seen change.

Concerned that Ballarat is “earmarked for population growth,” she doesn’t want it to become a satellite city of Melbourne, or to lose its heritage vibe.

“When there’s mass population movement into the area, Ballarat will be bursting at the seams. Will it be able to cope? Why does it want to cope with such a thing?” she said.

“Ballarat is a beautiful and welcoming place that should be promoting tourism and the heritage of the city… not mass population growth, housing estates…

“In the council plan, it speaks about the employment zone for people yet to come. I’m concerned the actual people of Ballarat are going to be forgotten as it explodes.”

Ms Jakobi said the “beautiful feel of Ballarat is being lost,” with new shopping centres established and traders moving away from the CBD.

She said there is nothing vibrant and thriving about “empty shops, unemployment, crime, and drug issues,” or residents paying “astronomical rates” for more than basic services.

An “Australian nationalist,” she said she looks at “politics on a big picture,” and promotes what is best for Australians so their needs come first.

“The city is basically going to turn into an ethnic ghetto like Melbourne has. Ballarat people deserve better.

“I wish to put my hat in the ring to be a voice for the people as these horrible changes come about to Ballarat,” she said.

For Ms Jakobi, residents are currently voiceless, and the CEO has “too much power.”

“When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty. The power should be back to the people with councillors representing them,” she said.

Along with her plan to “abolish” the role of CEO within the City of Ballarat, on the Australia First Party website Ms Jakobi outlines other municipal policies she supports.

They including defunding LGBTI events and multicultural programs, promoting “firearm safety”, and “refusing to work in partnership” with organisations that “compromise our prosperity, heritage and cultural identity” such as overseas student programs.

Before moving to Ballarat, Ms Jakobi lived in Robinvale as a farm labourer for 22 years, seven days a week, she also has three sons.