Benalla's Punarji Hewa Gunaratne spoke to The Ensign this week about his decision to run for council.
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Why have you decided to run for council?
I want to be an active part of the Benalla community and represent everyone in Benalla.
I want to deliver a clear message to people who look or feel different from the mainstream population that anyone can be a leader in our community.
I am bringing up two young daughters in this beautiful town and I want to guarantee they see no difference in the opportunities this great town has to offer.
I want to be an example for them.
Another prompt for me to run now is that I am a strong believer in the role local government can play in reducing our carbon emissions locally.
I believe there is a great opportunity for our town’s residents to benefit from the transformation of our energy production and usage if it is managed well.
Local government plays such a crucial role in enhancing the health and wellbeing of all residents, and I want to advocate for services and facilities that will benefit the whole Benalla region.
Pool being refurbished in advance of re-opening
Have you been on a local council – or similar group before? And, if so, how will that experience help you in council?
I am an accountant by profession and I have worked with public regional hospitals.
I can contribute with Victorian public sector financial experience and build a communication bridge, so people can understand what we talk about in our council’s financials.
I am a strong believer of building in accountability and transparency to council matters, so that everyone can feel involved.
I also have experience working on large-scale community projects after the 2004 tsunami in Sri Lanka.
I was involved in a logistics team who rebuilt an orphanage that lost its buildings to the tsunami, and I was also involved in long-term fundraising to support displaced children and families in the aftermath.
Tell me a bit about yourself for those in town who might not know you?
I have worked in finance and business in various roles for the past 20 years, and am a certified practicing accountant (CPA).
I like working with figures and enjoy identifying creative ways to improve a company’s financial position.
I started my career in banking, and have worked in large companies in Sri Lanka, and after working in large and small businesses in Melbourne and rural Victoria I am now working in the public health care sector.
On a personal note, I am Thatha (dad) to two young daughters and my partner and I moved to Benalla in 2016 just before our first baby arrived.
We have lovely neighbours who made us feel welcome and helped ease us into the town.
We love the parks and gardens, especially the roses around town.
I am a migrant, and I am originally from Colombo in Sri Lanka.
I am also a triplet, so I had to learn how to settle quarrels and work constructively with other people with a different agenda to mine very early.
Benalla’s Ceramic Mural: The prehistoric Chameleon
What policies/programs/initiatives etc would you like to work towards in the next four years if you are elected?
I believe the Benalla Rural City Council has a big role to play in the coming transformation of our energy market, and I would like to be a leader in driving that forward.
If done well, I believe our council can help locals to reduce their energy consumption and energy bills and make Benalla a more appealing town to live and do business.
I would also like to engage with residents to make Benalla feel more inclusive - everyone should feel like they have a place and a voice in our town.
I will work closely with people and groups from different cultural backgrounds, disabilities, and LGBTQIA+ to make sure they feel safe and are proud to call Benalla home.
I want to make sure tourists with different backgrounds, abilities and LGBTQIA are looked after and feel comfortable visiting our town.
Putting on my accountant’s hat, I would like to evaluate the council budgets with the community needs and involvement.
I want our capital expenses to be directed towards the top priorities for the entire council.
For example, I would like to explore the possibilities to see how we can increase the budgets for footpaths for 20/21 financial year and in projections up to 2024.
Lots of residential areas in our council either have no footpaths or broken footpaths.
I am keen to share council resources fairly with surrounding towns and make sure residents in those areas get a fair share of facilities as well.
This council term will bring us big challenges with climate change.
I feel obliged to reduce CO2 emissions from council’s day-to-day operations.
I believe we will have to adopt innovative waste disposal methods and reduce landfills.
Also evaluate the council plan for renewable energy consumption as an organisation.
There are new ways of dealing with these challenges and we can learn a lot from councils that have found ways to drive down their landfill volume.
Council candidates: Mayor Danny Claridge
What has been your opinion of the current council/councillors during their time on council?
I understand the current councillors have a long connection to the Benalla region, and it is great to have a team of councillors with that connection to the area.
However, I have also noticed that some councillors have been in the role for many terms.
While that can be a strength, it can also keep local government bogged in well-known issues and create a sense of staleness.
I have lived in Benalla for four years, which has given me enough time to recognise some of the weaknesses in the town that the council could resolve, and I'd like to take those issues up if I am elected.
Do you have anything you would like to add?
In my campaign so far, I have travelled around the region and learnt about our council area.
I know there is a lot of work that can be done in outer towns and there are improvements in those areas to grow our tourism potential.
Also some community members have told me that they feel like they haven’t been heard in some council decisions in the past.
If I get elected, I want to be a councillor who will be available to discuss people’s issues.
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