ballarat city council multicultural ambassador

The Courier edited out some important words, so I’m posting a full text here.

NAME: Aldona Kmieć
AGE: 35
OCCUPATION: Professional Photographer, Multicultural Ambassador City of Ballarat 2012-2014

WHAT ARE YOU HOPES FOR THE FUTURE OF BALLARAT:

MORE OPEN
I’d like to see Ballarat being liked more by its own people. For people who have international travel/migrant experience it’s easy to see the City’s best flavours, yet others don’t always look outside their own backyards.
There are plenty of cultural events around that could benefit from more attendance.

MORE LOCAL JOBS & MORE LOCAL BUSINESS
As a Small Business owner I worry. There are so many businesses that had to shut their doors due to unrealistic rent prices and other economic factors, which lead to empty shop fronts. I’d like to see Ballarat residents ‘work to live’ in Ballarat, not Melbourne.

MORE STREET CCTV
We’ll soon want it for more safety out in town

FIND ITS OWN PRIDE
Don’t be a copycat. What’s best in Ballarat? What makes the city different from others? Then get on to it!

PEDAL POWER MORE POPULAR
Ballarat has the widest streets I have ever seen anywhere in the world… It also has the smallest number of cyclists I’ve seen anywhere in the world!!! Cycling could save you diabetes, obesity, anger problems and a lot more money that you think. It will also benefit you in other ways due to feel good hormones. City Bikes are very popular in Paris, Amsterdam, Melbourne so come on Ballarat, get on the ride!

USE IT OR LOOSE IT – LIFESTYLE
There IS no price for lifestyle. It is our choice. Australia is today ranked as one of the fattest nations in the developed world. Fourteen million Australians are overweight or obese – number more than doubled in last 20 years. Indigenous Australians are today twice as likely as non-Indigenous Australians to be obese. Bad eating habits and no exercise – I call it lazy thinking or no thinking at all. Unless your thinking changes NOW, your children will dominate these statistics.