By Ethan Benedicto
Prosperity, safety and connectedness are the key factors that Akoonah Ward council candidate, Mush Rahaman, is striving for with the October Casey Council elections just a few months away.
Owner of La Baguette café in High Street, Berwick, Mush is no stranger to the trials and tribulations of the operations of small businesses, especially in the plight of the pandemic and the ensuing years.
For Mush, there have been questions, from himself and others as to what exactly it is he could put on the table with his relevant experience, but it is the “personal obligation that has been created in me after the pandemic”.
“The pandemic gave me some time to think [on] what we needed, what can be done for our community,” he said.
The overwhelming support that he and La Baguette received during the post-pandemic period is what drove Mush to step up, after reflection on his and fellow small businesses in the area’s struggles.
However, he understands that this support is not easily garnered, and must be done through constant and transparent communication with others, something Mush promises to continue if he is elected.
While he agrees that he may not be the “best person for this job, somebody needs to take ownership”.
A Berwick resident since 2013, and starting La Baguette in 2017, Mush has confidence that he has the support of the local community.
Many have asked him to take the mantle, with Mush returning the question out of curiosity, to which he said that “if it’s going to be me, then let it be”.
With the strong belief that Berwick should be about small businesses, part of Mush’s vision is to have the future council work with business owners, and “create a business-friendly environment”.
“Taking feedback from the local people, I believe we need to get on the field, work with these businesses together and find out what they actually need,” he said.
By the same token, Mush is aware of the insecurity that many constituents in Casey feel about councillors regarding the 2020 IBAC investigations, but assured that he is “a pure independent”.
“I believe that when it comes to our community, political views should not be a concern, it should not affect us, and we need to work together.
“This comes even before the basic job of council, but it’s one of my priorities and it’s to say that my personal integrity and honesty will not be compromised.
“Every matter in council that I will be involved in, accountability and integrity will be there,” he said.
The revitalisation of small businesses is the first step, with Berwick Village as a whole being the main target; to make it a vibrant hub in the southeast region and to “bring that pride back”.
“I want to consider Berwick Village as a priority, and all the local businesses here, they are with me as well because this place should be pumping all the time.
“We need to have more events, more things happening in Berwick Village; it should be, in a way where somebody coming from New South Wales would come to see this place.
“Just like we’re taking them to Ballarat, Bendigo, Berwick should be one of those,” he said.
Caring for Berwick also entails other responsibilities, with continued and fostering further support for the elderly population integral to Mush’s vision.
Instead of catering to them as a community’s “weakness” and thinking of the elderly as “retired people we need to feed”, they should be encouraged to take part within the community further, and instead be considered as a major driving force for said community’s upkeep.
“These people have a lot of skills, they’re mature, they’re experienced, rather than having our elderly community as our weakness, we should treat them as a platform for our growth and opportunity.
“More than 60 per cent of my customers are over 60, which means a major contribution to Berwick Village and local business is coming from these elderly people.
“So if they grow, that means these local businesses grow,” Mush said.
Echoing the many and repeated concerns from residents across the municipality, advocating for infrastructure and public services is something that Mush said he is dedicated to address if elected.
He stresses that these fundamental services should be a priority to ensure that residents can live in a well-maintained and secure environment, where “it is a priority for any candidate”.
“If the road [potholes] is not filled up, if the grass is now mowed, if the park is not clean, if the trees aren’t trimmed, if the roads are filthy, then we haven’t done our job,” he said.
Of course, with a well-maintained municipality also means there must be cultural inclusiveness and unity, with Mush adamant that in Berwick there is only one community, and that is “the Australian community”.
“We need to embrace all cultures, if there is an event that is bringing people together, everyone should celebrate.
“It’s something that encourages togetherness; it’s something that everyone should support.
“A leader should bring people together, a leader is not for division, they should be for inclusiveness – and I believe I will do it, I’m sure that people will be behind me and we’ll make it happen,” Mush said.
