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Tribute has been made to a late and “passionate” Dandenong community activist Janet Cox.
Ms Cox was remembered as a long-time Dandenong resident who lived in a “petite weatherboard” in New Street during a tribute by Greater Dandenong councillor Matthew Kirwan at a council meeting on 13 May.
She ran as an independent in the seat of Dandenong in the 2002 State Election as well as being an outspoken secretary of the Dandenong Resident and Ratepayers Association.
Cr Kirwan said Ms Cox was a nurse and passionate feminist who was active in recognizing the history of women getting the vote in Victoria.
She helped form a statewide group LOCAL to encourage women to be active in local politics.
“She held passionate views about Dandenong whether it was via personal contact to elected representatives or writing letters to the editor.
“She was a great example of an active citizen.”
Before her decline in health, she was a regular letter writer to the Dandenong Journal.
One of them was a stinging send-off to former Greater Dandenong chief executive Carl Wulff in 2008.
“The CEO and council officers are public servants, and are not, as some of them seem to think, the city’s leaders!
“It’s now time for the councilors to resume proper control of their staff and get Greater Dandenong back on track to ensure that it really is a ‘city of opportunity’ for the entire community, not just for entrepreneurs and developers.”
