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, the Free Press 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.
Zoe Cook is in her fourth year of living in Campaspe Shire and has lived in Kotta and Rochester before her home was impacted by the 2022 floods.
She has since moved to Lockington where she is now happily settled and has her eyes set on a place in council to be a representative for her new town.
“As a progressive young woman residing in Lockington, I believe it is important to run so that other residents can vote for the representation they want on council,” she said.
Apart from wanting to be an advocate for her area, she wants to make sure that something is done to prevent the the climate crisis facing us and to ensure the longevity of towns and communities.
Another issue she wants to mitigate is the housing crisis, particularly the cost of mortgages and rent and the need for affordable housing in the local economy.
She believes that we need to start investing in quality services for community health and wellbeing, and that active and climate-friendly transport such as buses, bike riding, walking and scootering needs to be made more accessible.
“Everyone in Campaspe deserves to live a good, meaningful life. I will always stand up for those doing it tough, and I will have your back when you feel vulnerable,” she said.
As a local cricket player, netball umpire and amateur Thespian she has developed community leadership, communication and team skills that she will be able to bring to the council chambers.
She is also familiar with how crucial council services are to a community and how crucial arts and tourism are for culture.
Miss Cook said she loves both the natural landscapes of the area and the diverse range of people one can meet across the shire.
“I love being involved in the diverse communities across our shire, people are such experts in their own lives and I always love to hear the stories and expertise they share.”
Head online to view all profiles of Campaspe Shire Council candidates ahead of the 2024 local government elections.