RACHEL Muir thought she might wait another four years before tipping her hat into the council ring, but after some deep and long thinking, she decided that there is no better time than now.
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Ms Muir has nominated for the Ballarat South Ward for next month's council elections, one of eight nominees in the ward.
A proud Yorta Yorta woman born and raised on Wadawurrung land in Ballarat, she is fully aware of and understands the history that she would create if she was successfully voted into the City of Ballarat council.
It is understood that she would be Ballarat's first indigenous councillor.
But chasing history is not the reason she is running.
"I want to be a voice for the ordinary people," Ms Muir said.
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"I do feel a little bit like the multicultural community doesn't get their voice heard enough and feel they contribute to Ballarat. If I can be that voice, I would love that opportunity. It's a terrible way to put it, but when you talk about minorities, it makes it sound like they are forgotten. You add up the minorities and you get a majority."
Ms Muir is unaligned to any political party. She said her focus would be on inclusiveness for all community members regardless of where they came from or who they were.
"It's just me having a go, I'm not aligned to anyone," she said.
"I'd thought that I would most likely have a go in four years' time, but I thought 'why not just have a go now?' If I don't succeed this time, I'll be back again in four years' time.
"I wasn't aware just how much is involved until I decided to run. It's an incredible eye-opener."
Ms Muir said as well as her backing of marginalised groups, her work in aged care shows that she has a grasp of the issues facing many elderly people across the region.
"My heart lies with the elderly having worked as a personal carer in aged care facilities," she said. "My cultural upbringing is to respect your elders and that's something I take with me everywhere I go.
"I've spent my life here in Ballarat, I'm born and bred here and I don't plan on moving anywhere.
"Since I nominated, people have been saying good work, as a lot of people talk-the-talk and don't back it up. I'm having a go, I'm winning already. If I do get in, I won't just be a voice just for the south ward, I want to be a voice for all of Ballarat."
CORRECTION: An earlier version of this report, mentioned Ms Muir's heritage as Wadawurrung The Courier apologies for any offence caused.
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