Long-term Mooroopna resident Severin Duhring is gearing up to run for council this year.
He’s lived in the area for 54 years and is running for the Goulburn River Ward in the October Greater Shepparton City Council election.
“I am running for council because I am passionate about ensuring the needs of our community are heard and advocated for,” Mr Duhring said.
“I want my region to thrive and progress.”
He said he was excited about the new system of council elections, as it would give a voice to every part of the council area.
“I believe the new ward system will be an opportunity to ensure a fairer distribution of the council’s budget and that each ward will get its fair share of council support,” he said.
“The current model is very Shepparton-centric, and the smaller towns are often left out and feel like the poor cousins.”
He’s a fan of his town, he said, having chosen to stay there and become a dad.
“Alongside my wife, Robyn, we have had a great life here,” he said.
“We have worked and raised our family in Mooroopna and are proud to call Mooroopna our home.”
He’s prepared to advocate for his ward and said it was not just one topic he was hoping to address.
“We need councillors who will listen,” Mr Duhring said.
“Poor decisions are a sign of poor leadership — and that needs to change.”
He’s been an active member of his community, volunteering in a range of groups and organisations, as well as being a founding member of the Mooroopna Men’s Shed.
“I have immersed myself in the community as a volunteer ... including the Mooroopna Kiwanis Club for 35 years, volunteering for L2Ps for 13, a member of the Mooroopna Men’s Shed and I’m proud to have been a recipient of Greater Shepparton Volunteer of the Year in 2015,” he said.
He said he was determined to be a bridge between the public and the decision-makers if he was elected.
“While I would be the councillor, it is working together with the broader community across my ward, and a close collaboration and open communication is what will ensure local priorities are identified and heard,” he said.
“Together we need to be the voices of the Goulburn River Ward.”