Victorian 2024 municipal elections: Geoff Akers, Carly Noble run for office

Geoff Akers and Carly Noble are two of many primary producers seeking a council seat for the first time. See the regional issues they want to address.

When it comes to a farmer’s annual rates bill, councils like to keep a close eye on your acres.

But this farmer wants to flip the script — an Akers who wants to keep a close eye on council.

Former Dairy Australia chairman Geoff Akers and Bendigo region farmer Carly Noble as just two of many primary producers standing at next month’s council elections.

Geoff Akers on his dairy farm at Tallygaroopna with his Maremma named Misty. Picture: Zoe Phillips

Some farmers have been galvanised by skyrocketing rates bills, others by potholed local roads.

Mr Akers, who is running as a Greater Shepparton council candidate, said striking the right balance between city and country ratepayers was at the core of his campaign.

The Tallygaroopna farmer has previously been an office-bearer with the United Dairyfarmers of Victoria, Murray Dairy as well as the Victorian Farmers Federation water council.

“Cutting the red tape and speeding up the council processes is one of the main issues I’m campaigning on. It’s an issue that comes up time and again when I’m talking to people around the council area,” Mr Akers said.

“We want to encourage people to come to Greater Shepparton — to build their home here, or their small business, and council needs to assist them.

“Putting it mildly, the council processes are a bit slow. If you want to get your housing approvals through, subdivisions are too slow. When you’ve got someone on there with a ‘can-do’ attitude, you do see progress.”

And Mr Akers knows from past experience. During the millennium drought, he was a key figure on the VFF water council in galvanising policymakers in both Canberra and Spring Street.

“I was involved in the first exceptional circumstances declaration for an irrigation region.

“Things were pretty severe in the early 2000s. I was part of a team but we were committed to getting things done, seeing it through.”

Like Mr Akers, central Victorian beef farmer Carly Noble has been in and out of municipal matters over the years during the course of her agri-advocacy work.

Based at Arnold in the Loddon Shire, she’s running for a seat in the Tarnagulla ward in next month’s municipal election.

“I’ve been working with different departments at the shire over the years as an advocate for gastronomy and artisan producers,” Mrs Noble said.

“Because of that work between council and small business, last year, a few members of the community said: ‘Why don’t you run for council?’

“They said ‘you know how council works, the processes and developing initiatives’ and I thought it’s better to be part of the solution.”

Carly Noble is running for the Tarnagulla ward in the Loddon Shire. Carly on her farm at Arnold. Picture: Zoe Phillips

Mrs Noble has served as a member of Farmers for Climate Action and the North Central. Catchment Management Authority.

She said boosting services at both ends of the age spectrum was one of the key issues of her municipal campaign.

“Until only a few years ago, Loddon Shire was the only council area in the state without regular childcare services. Providing services for our senior residents is also something I’m passionate about — our average age in Loddon is one of the highest in the state.”

All ratepayers except those located in the Moira Shire will start receiving their election ballots in the mail from next week.

The Victorian Government dismissed Moira Shire’s councillors in March 2023, with the next election in the northern Victorian council area to be held in 2028.

Yarriambiack ratepayers will also be unable to vote, but for a different reason — only two candidates stood for each of the two vacancies across the Wimmera shire’s three wards.

Victorian Electoral Commission data showed there were 42 uncontested wards with 47 candidates elected unopposed out of 466 separate selections.

Municipal Association of Victoria president David Clark said cost-of-living pressures contributed to the rise in uncontested seats.

Cr Clark operates a mixed farming property at Glenbrae, 40 kilometres northwest of Ballarat, and is seeking re-election for a seat on the Pyrenees Shire council.

“Some councillors may think that being uncontested means that people are generally happy with the job you’re doing. That may be part of it but it’s not the whole story,” Cr Clark said.

“I think a big factor this time around is the cost-of-living pressures many of us face. It can be an expensive exercise to run for council in highly-competitive contests.

“The other element has been the restructuring of a lot of council wards compared to the 2020 council elections. There are quite a few councils with changed ward names and boundaries.”

Voting closes on October 25 with the Victorian Electoral Commission requiring all postal votes to be submitted by November 1.

Results will be announced on November 15.

Originally published as Victorian 2024 municipal elections: Geoff Akers, Carly Noble run for office