Geraldine Brooks, Greens Candidate for Derrimut: December 2008

2.12.08

Ardeer Community Playground Grand Opening and Carols in the Park
We held a celebratory Opening Ceremony event of the Ardeer Community Playground and Park on Tuesday 2nd December 2008. This event was held in conjunction with our annual Christmas Carols in the Park event to celebrate the work of our community in redeveloping our local park. The event involved children from our two local primary schools, two local secondary schools and local kindergarten. Approximately 700 people attended. Rod Quantock was the Master of Ceremonies for the event, which included fireworks, a sausage sizzle, a tour of the park and playground, performances of Christmas carols by the school students and children, and the opportunity to hang a home-made decoration on the wishing tree.

About Geraldine

Geraldine Brooks moved to Melbourne’s western suburbs in 1996 to work as a podiatrist. She has been an active community member ever since; contributing energy, skills and time to improving her community, including: • Being board member of Community West; • President of Sunshine Kindergarten; • President and secretary of the Ardeer Community Playground; • a member of Sunshine Primary School Council; • a member of the Friends of Kororoit Creek. • Group leader and voluntary breastfeeding counsellor with the Australian Breastfeeding Association Brimbank group. • instigator behind the establishment of the Ardeer Community Park, a formerly abandoned grassy space that housed a lead factory. She organised a group of parents to form a committee. Together they lobbied the Victorian and Federal Governments for money to redevelop the area, and applied for grants to help establish Ardeer’s only park. In November 2008 Geraldine was elected as the Greens councillor for the Harvester Ward on Brimbank City Council. The council was sacked by the Victorian Labor Government on August 2009, following an investigation by Ombudsman Victoria that found Labor councillors were involved in corrupt activities and several Victorian Labor MPs interfering in the business of council. Geraldine was active in calling for a new council election to replace the corrupt Councillors with genuine community representatives. Geraldine is the Greens candidate for the seat of Derrimut in the upcoming state election, to be held later this year. She believes people in the west deserve an advocate that will genuinely represent them in Parliament, to help them get a better on public transport, parks, health and education.

Family Fun Day

2.12.08