Meet Geraldine Gonsalvez for Greater Dandenong
Dandenong Ward

If you have a vote in Dandenong, this is Geraldine’s pitch to get your vote:

I may have had to leave India with my family from Bangalore in India where I was born and bred to emigrate to my new adopted home, Dandenong in Melbourne Australia, but India never left me. I may have left India but India never left me.

This is evidenced in all my efforts to keep this alive and help advance the subcontinent presence and Community  in my new home town where I live and in Melbourne in general, in ways I could in a totally voluntary capacity wherever and whenever I had the opportunity and I will continue to do this cause India is very much alive in my heart.

It so happens I was told when I was elected in the year 2000 taking out the then very popular Mayor. Unbeknown to me I was informed that I was the first woman from the Sub continent to get elected to Government in the year 2000. I am a true to heart Independent.

My campaign then was a simple home brand one likewise this so is this one too.  I was a young mum of 7 children at the time. I served one term. 2000 to 2003.  It was an exciting and strategic time as we were positioning our city of Greater Dandenong and Local Government across Victoria for the next 20 Years. The 2020 vision then in the year 2000 (the year I was fortunate to get elected) was front and centre in all  areas of planning and resourcing.

Now with all my children young adults and myself a grandmother I am hoping to return to Council in all good faith to serve our community and represent them whilst I have the time, energy and capability to do so.

I understand it may be a slim chance given that history seems to have come full circle as my chief contender in this election so happens to be a long time Councillor and current Mayor. But this is my hometown too and has been since 1984 so win or loose I commit with no regrets.

The words of  our Bapu the great Mahatma Gandhi keep which happen to be one of my favourite sources of inspiration keep coming back to me to…“ Be the change you want to see happen” and “ you may never know what results come from your action. But if you do nothing there will be no result,”  This has always encouraged me and stayed with me and been my inspiration.