AFTER thirty years leading Basketball Ballarat, outgoing CEO Peter Eddy is looking forward to his next adventure.<\/p>\n
The veteran sports administrator is eyeing off a seat at the big table in town hall\u2019s council chamber.<\/p>\n
As to why he\u2019s put his hand up to run at October\u2019s City of Ballarat elections, the answer is reasonably simple.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt 64 I didn\u2019t feel that I was ready to retire completely from community life and engagement,\u201d Mr Eddy said. \u201cI looked around for something that I felt would stimulate me and hopefully where I could make a positive contribution.<\/p>\n
\u201cComing from a CEO background I report to a board and I work with a very progressive and successful board.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs one of nine members of council we should be a team and I hope that I can bring to the table a sense of collaboration that encourages people to work for the good of the city.\u201d<\/p>\n
While Mr Eddy is a political cleanskin, this is the first time he\u2019s run for public office, if elected it won\u2019t be his first interactions with governments.<\/p>\n
With three decades at the helm of one of the region\u2019s biggest community sporting organisations, Mr Eddy said the experience has given him good insight into how government works at all levels.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I started to turn my mind to this opportunity to stand, I did look back on all my interactions across local government. Not only with Ballarat council but part of our lobbying for funding for B.SEC involved getting support across all the Central Highlands councils,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cLearning how to work in that space with elected officials but also key staff has been, I think, a benefit to my understanding of local government.<\/p>\n
\u201cWorking across Federal and State government levels in the last eight to 10 years, and lobbying for funding, we\u2019ve built strong networks but also learnt by that you need to persistent and patient, because not everything happens today.\u201d<\/p>\n
While many candidates enter politics with ideological agendas and even backing from political parties, Mr Eddy said he was free of that baggage.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt sort of sounds a bit funny when you say you\u2019re standing for council and don\u2019t have a political interest,\u201d he said. \u201cWhat I mean is council to me is not a political interest, it\u2019s a community interest.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne of the first lessons I\u2019ve learned in becoming a fairly effective lobbyist, and what I prided myself on, was giving the same information, opportunity, and level of respect to both parties equally.\u201d<\/p>\n
As for what he\u2019d do if he was elected, there\u2019s a range of citywide and North Ward specific issues on Mr Eddy\u2019s radar.<\/p>\n
They include municipal services, transport, growth, attracting people to the city, and environmental suitability. Yet all those ideas and more have been informed by his activities and interactions over the last few months.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe first thing about going on council is I don\u2019t pretend to know everything that the city needs,\u201d he said. \u201cAny person coming into this role should be prepared to come in to listen.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd that\u2019s what I\u2019ve been doing. I\u2019ve been engaging across a range of community groups, business and community leaders, not-for-profits, just to get a sense to what people see for the city.\u201d<\/p>\n
On a hyper local level, issues facing North Ward that Mr Eddy sees as key include making sure the whole riding, which runs out to Waubra and Smythe\u2019s Creek, isn\u2019t forgotten.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s important that the small road near Ascot is serviced as well as Sturt Street,\u201d he said. \u201cDifferent demands, different needs, but as long as they are all considered fairly and given equal opportunity.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are certainly major projects that we need to attend to, but we shouldn\u2019t forget the smaller things that need to happen.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
AFTER thirty years leading Basketball Ballarat, outgoing CEO Peter Eddy is looking forward to his next adventure. The veteran sports administrator is eyeing off a seat at the big table in town hall\u2019s council chamber. As to why he\u2019s put his hand up to run at October\u2019s City of Ballarat elections, the answer is reasonably […]<\/p>\n