Steven Columbus is running as an independent candidate in the East Gippsland Shire Council elections this October.
Since moving to East Gippsland with his partner in 2009, Steven has focused on raising their children, building a career in vocational education and local government and transforming their four-acre property into gardens.
“I believe that youth and young families are the future, but too many of our best and brightest finish school and then leave the region,” Steven said.
“From 2016 to 2021, more than twice as many youth (18-24-year-olds) left East Gippsland as moved here (791 versus 313). And for the 25-34 year olds, the age group that we typically think of as being young families looking to settle down, 995 moved here but 655 left.”
According to Steven, one of the best reasons to put down roots is access to jobs.
“The shift from fossil fuel power to renewable energy in Gippsland is a huge opportunity for East Gippsland,” he said.
“Over the next decade in Gippsland offshore wind projects alone will create 15,500 jobs during construction and 7500 ongoing jobs. To put that in perspective, the last Census showed that 19,191 East Gippsland residents were employed either full-time or part-time.
“Whether people like wind farms or believe in climate change is their choice, but jobs are jobs. These jobs will provide lifelong careers for our youth and working-age residents, making East Gippsland more prosperous and dynamic.
“This opportunity needs to be promoted to our youth and working-age residents now. Many organisations need to be mobilised and some may not naturally work together, so the council, being closest to the community, needs to lead. “With over a decade of experience in vocational education, I’m ready to take on this task if elected.
“While I’m committed to improving East Gippsland for youth and young families, I understand that not everyone will share my passion. There are many important issues affecting the community, and residents have different priorities.
“But regardless of your priorities or politics, you need councillors with the skills and experience to make things better. Because we all want well-maintained roads, we expect our rubbish to be collected cost-effectively and we pay rates and want them spent wisely.
“If you elect me I will bring 25 years of experience in public policy development and quality assurance. I also worked as the governance coordinator at the East Gippsland Shire Council for two years. I have the skills and experience to navigate the system and ensure it works for you.”
