Rates are for services not ideology

YOU might well ask… what makes Meg Edwards unique from every other new candidate for Bunurong, who am I and what are my values? The short answer is that I’m the only new candidate for Bunurong whose values are firmly right of centre. I’m not a swinging voter or centrist.

While council is firmly for local issues, it is important for you to understand your candidate’s values as to whether they align with yours in casting your vote.

With compassion and respect for others, I stand up for what I believe are mainstream values: the rights, responsibilities and freedoms of all, with lean government. That while you are personally free to believe any or no ideology you choose, it isn’t up to rates and taxpayers to fund it.

Our rates are for providing back-to-basics services and infrastructure, protecting our coastline, footpaths, lighting, local roads, accessible buildings and everything done with full transparency (except in rare cases that require justification).

You may have heard of me. Now 51 years old, I schooled at Newhaven and my first real job was at the Penguin Reserve. We live in Inverloch and also have a farm in neighbouring South Gippsland (where I was an effective councillor in a previous term). We have two boys.

In 2022, a few weeks before the state election, the Labor government quietly released a plan to roll out thousands of 340-metre-high industrial wind turbines subsided by your taxpayer money just 5km from our shores from the Nobbies on Phillip Island, in front of Inverloch right through to inside Waratah Bay - put bluntly, environmental vandalism.

With the support of some great locals, when I entered the election with the purpose of raising the alarm and changing policy, most of the candidates were not even aware of it, one was trying to hide it, none openly fought against it. In every respect that campaign was successful.

Meg Edwards, Inverloch. Candidate for Bunurong ward.

Editor: Ms Edwards provided some background details which have been edited for space.