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

Name: Aldona Kmieć
Age: 35
Occupation: Professional photographer, Multicultural Ambassador for the City of Ballarat (2012–2014)

What are your hopes for the future of Ballarat?

More open
I’d like to see Ballarat liked more by its own people. For those with international experience, it’s easy to recognise the city’s best flavours. Others don’t always look beyond their own backyards. There are many cultural events that would benefit from stronger local attendance.

More local jobs and more local business
As a small business owner, I worry. Many businesses have shut their doors due to unrealistic (and high) rent prices and other economic pressures, leaving empty shopfronts behind. I’d like to see Ballarat residents able to work and live in Ballarat, not commute to Melbourne.

More street CCTV
Sooner rather than later, we will need it for greater safety in the city.

Find its own pride
Don’t be a copycat. What is Ballarat best at? What makes the city different from others? Identify it, own it, and build on it.

Pedal power made popular
Ballarat has some of the widest streets I’ve seen anywhere in the world, and yet one of the smallest numbers of cyclists. Cycling can help prevent diabetes, obesity, stress, and save you more money than you might think. It also boosts feel-good hormones. City bikes thrive in Paris, Amsterdam, and Melbourne. Come on, Ballarat – get on the ride.

Use it or lose it – lifestyle
There is no price on lifestyle. It is a choice. Australia is now ranked among the fattest nations in the developed world. Fourteen million Australians are overweight or obese, more than double the number from 20 years ago. Indigenous Australians are twice as likely as non-Indigenous Australians to be obese. Poor eating habits and lack of exercise can be changed, but unless our thinking changes now, we will continue to dominate these statistics.