Daniel Grey is making a run for council

“I was going to run last time,” he said.

“But circumstances at the time said otherwise.”

“I’ve been in Benalla for 12 years, and it’s changed a lot in that time.

“While the current council have done a good job, I think it’s time for some fresh thinking.”

Mr Grey said previous councils had built a great base, and he wants to be part of the next council to build on that.

"I love Benalla,“ he said.

"It’s a pretty little town, but it hides its problems.

"We can't just have the pretty things without having a look at the hard things that need to be done.“

Mr Grey said in the past few months he had been speaking with local businesses and some business people felt they were not being heard. He intends to give them a voice.

He’s also been talking to local people across the community.

“Coming from a social welfare background, in terms of what I’ve done for a living over the past 10 years, I can see we’re failing some of our more vulnerable residents,” he said.

“One of the biggest things that I’ve heard is that accessibility is an issue in Benalla.

“It’s really nice we have bike paths that lead to recreational areas.

“That’s all good if you’re on a bike. But we need areas that are more inclusive.”

Mr Grey pointed to the playgrounds on Jaycee Island, stating that if a person was in a wheelchair and wanted to get to the play equipment, possibly to push their son, daughter or grandkids on the swings, they couldn’t get to the playground from the path.

“I know it costs money, but if you're more inclusive you can attract more people to the town,” he said.

“And for those already here, it will be better for mental and physical health.”

Mr Grey said the number one issue he had heard brought up repeatedly was the diversity of small businesses in Benalla.

“This is an area of concern, not only for our business people, but for the people who shop at local businesses and those looking to work in local businesses,” he said.

“Not everyone wants to be a barista.

“We need some diversity in employment pathways here.”

Mr Grey said issues like the quality of footpaths and ensuring accessibility would take time and money to solve, but he hopes, if elected, that by the end of his term he would have made a difference.

Mr Grey said one thing he wanted to investigate was the free camping options next to Lake Benalla.

He pointed to the fact most caravanners were self-sufficient and would not necessarily spend any money in town.

“We don’t want people staying here just because it’s free,” he said.

“They stay overnight, dump their grey water, then leave.

“Our great cafés and shops are not seeing them come in.

“I would charge them to stay by the lake. Make them walk up to the council offices to pay.

“They might see one of our cafés and pop in for breakfast, or stop and spend some money on a local shop.”

In terms of assisting the business community he points to the great work of the Benalla Business Network being a strong starting point.

“We need to use networks like this as a conduit to listen to local businesses,” he said.

“We have too many empty shops, and we need to encourage people to start a business in Benalla.

“We should be encouraging social enterprise, to create new businesses and more jobs.”

Mr Grey said he also wanted to listen to voices and opinions from the townships outside Benalla that make up the local government area.

“We could encourage small business out in those areas,” he said.

Mr Grey said his mantra was to be approachable and listen to the community.

“You’ve got to listen to people, first and foremost,” he said.

“Sometimes I think this community is not listened to, and it takes a common-sense approach.”

If you would like to contact Mr Grey to discuss his plans for council please email danielagrey2024@gmail.com