Shelly has lived in Wannon since she moved to Camperdown about 25 years ago from Tasmania to take up a job in local government. She has since moved to Allansford where she lives with her partner and children on a rural block. She enjoys voluntary work in the community with past roles on school committees, as a Bike Ed coach and more recently with the Warrnambool Pony Club. In Tasmania she was involved in student politics, was a member of the University Council and the Academic Senate and was student union president. Later while working for the Launceston City Council she had voluntary roles on the Board of Theatre North and the Launceston Community Legal Centre.

Shelly has a degree in law, post graduate qualifications in town planning and local government management and currently works as a Community Liaison Officer for a scientific research organisation. Her hobbies are yoga, bushwalking and community advocacy.

Lorraine was born and spent her early years in Casterton before moving to Warrnambool taking up a position at Fletcher Jones. There she worked in product development, then as a production supervisor, before starting up her own business in partnership with a friend, producing made to measure bridal and debutante dresses.

A move to the North East of Victoria gave more opportunities in small business and community projects to be involved with. After many very hot summers, the cool sea breeze and family enticed her back to Warrnambool, where she was able to resume dress making.

Greg grew up in north east Victoria and spent some time living overseas and in Melbourne before moving to Warrnambool about 15 years ago. The move to Wannon was prompted by several things, primarily that it is an excellent place to raise kids but also because his wife’s family are locals, having farmed in the area for several generations.

Greg is trained as an engineer and a secondary school teacher. He taught at Warrnambool College for nearly 10 years and since then has worked in the manufacturing industry in Port Fairy and Cobden, and now in the water industry based in Warrnambool.

Greg is passionate about public education and has been on school council at two of the schools that his children have attended. He enjoys kicking around a soccer ball and has been a volunteer soccer coach with a special interest in enabling girls to join in. During his spare time Greg enjoys exploring the outdoors, spending time with friends and family, and relaxing on the couch watching TV.

Genevieve has lived in the south west of Victoria for 23 years with her partner and four children, two of whom were born in Melbourne and two in Portland. She grew up on a dairy farm on the Mornington Peninsula (when it was rural!).

Genevieve has a Bachelor in Education and has used it to work in schools, small businesses, local council and various community groups. Her passion has always been concerned with social justice, inclusiveness and the promotion of gender equality.

Genevieve has served on the board of Kindergarten Parents of Victoria, South West Community Energy, school councils and ran for council in the most recent Local Government elections. She loves history’s lessons and practising art.

Genevieve believes in collaborative and creative thinking in the pursuit of healthy and engaged communities.

Jim moved to Wannon from the Macedon Ranges four years ago and now lives in Camperdown with his wife Pauline. He grew up in Melbourne and worked as a printer before studying economics. He currently puts his analytical skills to use in his vegetable garden and orchard.

Jim worked in Government, where he became expert in electoral and governance matters and played a lead role in many recent reforms. This included managing changes to Melbourne City Council elections, working with Ministers to prepare and enact legislation and contributing to the development of the new “principles based” Local Government Act.

Like many people in Wannon, Jim is concerned about the damage being caused by global warming as well as the increasing wealth and opportunity gaps within our community. He is particularly concerned about the ethical and accountability standards of our government representatives.

Brian was born in Warrnambool when his father was teaching at the Cooramook Primary School. His mother was also born and raised around Warrnambool. Brian spent his teenage years in Cobden and later lived in Camperdown while teaching at the wonderful Camperdown High School (now Camperdown College). Brian and his partner have lived in Colac since 2019, returning from a long stint teaching in Melbourne schools and running a small business providing services as a technical author to the textiles, food and engineering industries.

Since returning to Wannon Brian has done some casual teaching and uses his teaching skills tutoring and volunteering at the local homework club. He is the founding secretary of the Colac and District Rural Australians for Refugees Inc.

Brian joined Voices of Wannon after following the progress of the Voices for Indi. The issues that activate him are public education and refugee policies, and he believes good public policy is just that and should be the goal of all our parliaments.

Martin was born in the United Kingdom, spending most of his childhood in New Zealand before his family moved to Australia in the 1980s. He has lived in the Hamilton area for the past 25 years.

He has a Bachelor of Science degree and has worked in the wine industry in NSW, South Australia and Victoria and in plantation forestry in the Green Triangle Region. He has a farm which grows beef cattle and wine grapes and he is a CFA volunteer.

Martin became involved with Voices of Wannon in the lead up to the most recent federal election and is keen to see the issues and values of the people of Wannon being better represented in the federal parliament.

Susan is a clinical psychologist in private practice in Warrnambool. She lived in Melbourne until she was in her mid-forties, apart from two years when she taught in Colac. About twenty years ago, she moved with her family to southwest Victoria, living in Mortlake and now in Warrnambool.

For many years, she was disillusioned with politics but felt powerless to act until she heard to the Voices of movement and attended her first Kitchen Table Conversation. She finds the concept of participatory democracy exciting and empowering. She is interested in climate and environmental issues, social justice and equity of access, and integrity and ethics in government and business. She spends time reading, trying to practise art and researching family history.