John Martinuzzo is a lifelong Brimbank resident with a passion for local politics. The 55-year-old tells Charlene Macaulay what he loves about the area
What’s your connection to the local community?
I was a St Albans boy until 1997 and we’ve been in this house (in Kealba) for the past 17 years.
What’s your earliest childhood memory of living in Brimbank?
When I was four-years-old. I was always a cheeky one and was always looking around and “discovering”, and one day I went beyond my realm and I got out through the back fence. Somehow I found myself down near Main Road and East Esplanade, and my mum drives past in a taxi and she said: “I’m going to kill you when I get you home”. I must have been missing for awhile. What’s worse, I got halfway down the street and a little dog bit me on the bum. I hated that dog ever after.
What schools did you attend?
I went to Sacred Heart Primary and, after that, I went to St John’s College – which is now known as Caroline Chisholm Catholic College – in Braybrook. It was all boys until year 10. In form four, I organised a dance between St John’s and the girls from Marian College and Christ the King. I used to do ballroom dancing, and it was funny because, at this dance, all the tough boys were sitting in the corner and all the girls wanted to do was dance.
What was your childhood like?
There was a group of us St Albans boys and we were seen as the poor ones, but our house was reasonably alright – because both mum and dad worked full-time. I had a grandmother who minded us six kids. My mum kept having kids until she had a girl, so there are five boys and one girl, Rosie.
What do you like the most about Brimbank?
I’m religious – I was going to become a priest, then a brother, then I wanted to be a hotelier and then a restaurateur – but the thing that I like is that I can miss mass at Sacred Heart for a period of time but, then when I do go, it feels like when you put your feet in a nice, comfortable pair of shoes.
You catch up with people and the parish is only small – about 3000 people – but it’s full of people of different nationalities. I’d never heard of the word “wog” until I went to St John’s College. Around here, you never made a big deal out of that.
If you could change one thing about the area, what would it be?
The Furlong Road and Melton Highway level crossings need to be removed at the same time as the Main Road level crossing. Another thing I’d like to change is the mix of shops in St Albans. A lot of people are getting variety at Watergardens; there’s not a lot of things that drag people to the shopping centre of St Albans.
You ran, unsuccessfully, for a spot in the then-Keilor council in 1986 and 1988, and in Doutta Galla by-election. What made you run?
I ran originally in 1986 because I thought I was in with a good chance. I’d been a Young Liberal but I didn’t know how to run an election campaign. I felt I could contribute something. I could see out here that we lagged behind.
