Annemarie McCabe

Annemarie McCabe says she is an “ideas generator” and has a few that she would put forward if elected to Central ward.

A multi-level car park at the existing car park at Warragul civic centre and shopping complexes built over the railway stations at Warragul and Drouin are some she has in mind.

Warragul’s civic centre is an ideal site for a multi-level car park, Ms McCabe, not just to cater for Arts Centre patrons but would be handy for shopping in the town centre and could be further utilised as an undercover venue for markets and other events.

Shops located at the railway stations would still be within the main shopping hubs at Warragul and Drouin.

Better public transport throughout the shire to encourage people not to drive their cars to the towns, small shopping centres in the larger residential developments and a new shopping centre in Warragul are other things Ms McCabe would advocate to promote business and jobs growth.

But she is just as strong on council doing the basic things well as coming up with new ideas.

Communication and consultation with residents and businesses is a priority.

If people are brought on board and see their needs are being met they don’t regard money as having been wasted, Ms McCabe said.

Council must respond to what the community says it needs, not what planners think, she said.

A regular attendee at events at the West Gippsland Arts Centre Ms McCabe agrees it needs to be modernised and extended to cater for the growing population.

Although living in Drouin she said she nominated for Central ward because it is Warragul is the central point for the shire.

Ms McCabe moved to Drouin from the city 11 years ago to be closer to Monash University’s Churchill campus where she was studying.

A paramedic, she has served on a number of volunteer committees including scouts, kindergarten, school council, ambulance auxiliary and sporting clubs.

Baw Baw shire is a great but it can be better, Ms McCabe said.