Passion for local community spurs Eva Svanberg to nominate for Geraldton council elections

Eva Svanberg is the only female candidate who is a fresh face to the City of Greater Geraldton election race, but she intends to bring much more to the table than just her perspective as a woman if elected.

The criminal defence lawyer has lived in Geraldton for 12 years, and has recently started working for herself after moving to the Mid West city to work for the Aboriginal Legal Service.

Mrs Svanberg said she felt this year it was finally time for her to have a crack at running for council and hoped to bring to the role her knowledge of how social issues played out in the city from the courtroom. And she believes more female voices in council chambers are needed.

“I decided after criticising the council for being overwhelmingly male, it’s not going to change unless women actually run and that maybe I should,” she said.

“Not everything comes to court ... but you get a good feel for what’s happening (as a lawyer).

“I’m working for myself now which means I have a lot more flexibility than I did and I try to keep my case load at a manageable level.”

Mrs Svanberg said she was interested in supporting the council to do bigger and better work with youth programs and would support the old Rollerdrome reopening as a sports and youth hub run by the Geraldton Aboriginal Sporting Corporation.

“I’m interested in programs for young people, I volunteered for the city’s midnight basketball program before COVID,” she said.

“So supporting that sort of thing and making it bigger and better, providing not just a place to do things but a support around it.

“I would support (the Rollerdrome), but obviously council would have to make sure the facilities are up to the standard to do it but I think perhaps local residents overestimate the impact it might have on antisocial behaviour in the area.

“When a program is done right transport is included in that, bussing kids home after programs are finished, and the kids really enjoy it.”

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She also hopes to work on how the council contributes to managing environmental issues.

“I like to look at environmental policies and perhaps we can make an impact at a local level in coastal erosion, waste management, recycling and so on,” she said.

When Mrs Svanberg is not working she enjoys being involved in Geraldton life with her husband, new puppy and her in-laws who also live in the city.

She belongs to the local softball league and plays a suite of instruments including bass guitar, with her band Harpies Bazaar performing at this year’s Nukara Festival.