The Victorian local government elections will be held in October and conducted entirely by post. To help you make informed decisions on who should be making the big decisions for the Campaspe Shire, Jemma Jones has spoken to all prospective candidates to help people decide whom to tick off on their ballot paper.
The Free Press, Riverine Herald and Campaspe News will be rolling out two candidate profiles each week in the lead up to the election.
Deb Chumbley has lived in Campaspe Shire since 1992 when she moved to Echuca to take up a physiologist graduate year position at the then Echuca District Hospital.
She quickly fell in love with the region and community and said she cannot imagine living anywhere else.
Deb said she is running for council because she believes the community deserves a fair, empathetic and inclusive representative with no political ties.
“As the level of government closest to the community, I believe local government is crucial in nurturing, supporting and empowering communities to thrive,” she said.
The issues closest to Deb are social justice, inclusion and fair governance, and she believes that communities deserve to know that public institutions are held accountable to the communities they serve.
It’s important to her that the community has a voice in discussion and decision-making.
Deb said that she has strong connections across community and community organisations and hopes to be a vessel for communication between council and community members.
“As your councillor, I will work to elevate the voices of those not always heard and make space for genuine consultation and engagement,” she said.
Deb is a long-time resident, a ratepayer, and has raised her family in Campaspe Shire and believes she can bring “broad and varied” community experience from a number of paid and voluntary roles.
With 30 years of clinical experience as a physiotherapist, expertise in management, community engagement and project management have equipped her with valuable insights and skills.
She also has the capability to effectively contribute, proven through her knowledge gained through being an experienced committee member.
Deb said she loves living in Campaspe Shire because of the distinct characteristics of each town and community that constitutes the region, and she appreciates the warmth of the people in those towns.
“It’s a wonderful place to raise children, offering a unique blend of agriculture, business and tourism that creates diverse opportunities for success and growth.”
Head online to view all profiles for Campaspe Shire Council candidates ahead of the 2024 local government elections.