FEDERATION University lecturer Linda Zibell says she will fight for the Buninyong electorate to retain its character in the face of growing development.
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Dr Zibell will today be announced the Greens candidate for the state seat of Buninyong, currently being held by retiring Labor MP Geoff Howard.
Dr Zibell will be looking to improve on the 10 per cent primary vote the party secured in 2014.
In 2010, Dr Zibell herself garnered 14.75 per cent of the primary vote when she contested the election for Ballarat East.
The Mount Helen lecturer in humanities said she was attracted to run for The Greens as she saw them as a party of conviction.
“I think at the moment, politics is fairly divided and for me, The Greens are the only party that come from a position that is integrated,” she said.
“In the other parties it’s a bit of a silo effect. If the economic undercuts the environment so be it, they don’t worry about a conflict.
“The Greens policies are consistent.”
Dr Zibell said one of the greatest challenges facing a largely rural electorate was keeping its cultural identity.
“Community identity must be valued as population rapidly grows. We need to stay aware of natural and historical assets,” she said.
“Appropriate funding of habitat and land restoration is significant too as urban development and climate change impacts bite.
Dr Zibell has long been involved with local issues after she and her family moved to the region in 1990.
She helped initiate the new 640 hectare Woowookarung Regional Park on the eastern flank of Ballarat. She is also the president of the Buninyong and District Community Association.
“My many years of initiating grassroots action for the community, on multiple fronts, have given me the confidence to stand in this seat,” she said.
Dr Zibell said said she feels she has a “good grasp’ of issues in Buninyong and surrounding districts”. “I am keen to hear from people in other parts of this diverse electorate. The issues in Sebastopol will be very different to those in Ballan or Meredith or Dereel.”