By Corey Everitt
Pakenham’s Rodrigo Bardales held his campaign launch for Cardinia’s council elections this year promising a ‘participatory approach’ that puts the community’s needs first on matters from local sport to gender equality.
Bardales is supply chain manager who has lived in Melbourne’s South East for almost 15 years, about the last seven of which have been in Lakeside Pakenham.
This is his first bid at public office, something he has wanted to pursue as politics to him has become more ‘divisive’.
“It’s been in my head for a while because I’ve been wanting to help more with the issues we are facing,” he said.
“I find that politics are very divisive, it’s become ‘if you are not in my camp, you are my enemy type of thing’.
Originally from Peru, he moved here about 20 years ago where he would marry his wife and start a family with two children.
He believes order comes best out of a diversity of opinion and mutual respect, with his input he hopes the best can come out of the council.
“I’ve managed complex global supply chains, I’ve managed a lot of things with different backgrounds, different experiences, different nationalities.”
“I think there are a lot of opportunities, teams that come from different backgrounds are very creative teams and very successful teams.
“I don’t know why it has to be different in politics or in the community.”
Sport and fitness are key parts of his life, he is an avid triathlete who did his first full ironman challenge last year and is training for another run this year.
From South America, he of course loves his soccer. He has volunteered as a coach for Officer City Soccer Club for the last eight years.
His love for sport informs his political vision, he believes getting more kids involved is crucial.
“I think sports are really good these days to get them active, with technology it’s easy for kids to just be inside,” Bardales said.
“There is a lot of research now, kids are facing depression and other problems because they are just on tablets and social media all day.
“That will be one of things I will focus on if elected, developing more sports infrastructure, improving sports programs, sports to be more inclusive.”
With his focus on the next generation, he also places climate change and equality as central.
He holds a master degree in operation management, he completed another master degree in climate emergency last year.
He founded the Casey Cardinia Parents for Climate Action group and he is a mentor in the international not-for-profit The Climate Reality Project
“If I want to move the dial in the right direction in terms of climate change there is probably no better way than getting the record straight with the right information and science behind it,” Bardales said.
“We should strive to leave not just the same planet, but a better planet for future generations.
“While the gender inequality with women and girls, for instance sports are still more male dominated and there have been few areas for women and girls to do sports.
“I have two kids, my son and my daughter. I would like to do something for her to know she is going to grow up in a world where she has the same opportunities as my son, and that’s not just for sports.”
These are some of the core values for Bardales, but he doesn’t want to be driven by just his own ideas.
As an immigrant himself, he knows the changing landscape of Pakenham and the rapid developments the council must meet for it.
“What we need in five years will be different from what we have now,” Bardales said.
“The community is changing. There are a lot of immigrants coming to the area and one of the first things I will do is try to understand what are the needs for this dynamic community.
“I would like to take a participatory approach where you actually go and try to engage the community about what their needs are.”
As a member of the Greens, he is in a sense taking on the role of former councillor Michael Schilling.
The Greens are one of few to be open about their affiliations in local elections, but Bardales says it’s not about pushing a party line.
“At the end of the day, I think the person and the ideas are the most important thing, more than what political party you are from,” he said
“We don’t want to hide it, but I don’t think it’s my role outside of just trying to talk to people.
“It does matter how many signs and ads you put out in the streets, if you are not talking to the people they won’t really know who you are.”
If elected, Bardales may be one of the first immigrants of non-european descent to be elected to Cardinia Shire.
“Australia has been a blessing for us and our kids,” he said.
“We embraced challenges and opportunities as we settled in the country. It’s been great to us and we have always wanted to give back somehow, to the community as well as the country,”
