Election watershed

By Tania Martin
MOUNT Evelyn’s Peter Harris is taking his passion for community all the way to Spring Street.
The township group chairman and community development officer has been selected as the Labor Party candidate for Evelyn in the upcoming State Government elections.
“I have seen what I can do at a community level… the next step for me is to see what I can do at a political level,” he said.
Mr Harris said building on the Men’s Shed initiative and improving men’s health was at the top of his list.
His passion to make a difference started more than 10 years ago when he was laid off work with a back injury.
He said at the time under the Kennett Government WorkCover laws he had no rights to retrain in the field he wanted.
“I had to go to court to fight to go back to school. They (WorkCover) were happy to pay for a three month security course which I would never have been able to do,” he said.
After a two year court battle, Mr Harris won the right to go back to school and retrain in community development.
Since finishing school he has been working with the Glen Park Community Centre in Bayswater.
It was here his passion for helping disengaged men grew.
“I found the Men’s Shed concept was a great tool of engagement,” he said.
He has now been involved with a Men’s Shed in Bayswater for the past six years.
Mr Harris said he had no issues he wanted to push personally in the lead up to the election but wanted to get out in the community and find out what was important to local residents.
“I want community groups to invite me along to talk to them, to listen to them.
“I would really like to hear their concerns and see what the issues are, not about what my issues are but what the community’s are,” he said.
“It’s a passion of mine to see this area prosper.”