Credentials should be more important than an address, Brimbank’s latest council candidate believes.
Bruce White last Tuesday stepped down as Sunshine Business Association president, a voluntary position he has held for the past six years, to focus on his campaign for local government.
The Hoppers Crossing resident, businessman and manager at Sunshine’s Westpac branch said he was fully committed to the role of councillor, despite not living in Harvester ward where he intends to stand.
“I live here [at work], to be honest,” he said. “I’m on the electoral role here and I’m also executive secretary for an accounting firm in Sunshine.
“I’ve run it past Brimbank council and the CEO; it’s all perfectly legitimate. I’m running as an independent for Harvester [ward], which has been my home base for 35 years.”
Mr White said the upgrade of Sunshine train station, the council’s new community and civic centre and the CBD’s multi-deck carpark were some of the great outcomes achieved during the city’s time of being governed by administrators.
“I feel it’s my duty to ensure that these accomplishments continue,” he said. “In short, I have unfinished business.”
He joins long-term Sunshine community candidate John Hedditch in the contest for Harvester ward.
Nominations close September 20 with the elections to be held on October 22.
Mr White said running for the council was “probably the craziest thing I’ve ever done”.
But, he said, council administrators had left Brimbank in a “strong position”, working closely with the Sunshine Business Association on ‘Light Up Sunshine’, a project aimed at putting better lighting into the CBD, along with other measures to improve safety.
Mr White said his motivation was to continue the work done by both the Sunshine Business Association and the council administrators.
He said he was also keen to shift outside perceptions of Sunshine and regain “pride of place” for residents of the city.
“It [the perception of Sunshine] is still quite ill-informed, by and large, and negative towards the area,” he said.
“My intention is to ensure that we make people believe a council can act transparently and in the best interests of the people it represents.”
The Sunshine Business Association has appointed member and business owner Carson Luk as its interim president.
