The former Hepburn Shire mayor was driven into the field by his desire to see some change at the top level.

"It was really driven by policy miscalculations that I have witnessed over recent years from both state and federal government," he said.

"I figured well, you can do a bit at local government, but you can do more at the state level.

"I have never had a burning desire to be a career politician but I have seen there are issues that need to be addressed.

"If I don't do it now, when will I do it?"

Mr May joined the Greens about two years ago.

"I have always been a supporter of a lot of the Greens' principles and policies," he said.

"I had not seen myself up until recently even joining a political party to be honest."

The Blampied resident said he had lived in the area for most of his life and recently retired from the Hepburn Shire.

"I found it on one hand exhilarating but also frustrating. You could see all the things that needed to be done, there was good community support for what needed to be done but it was all to often the case that the resources and capacity made it difficult to achieve," he said.

"It was a wonderful window into the community."

Mr May listed climate change as the biggest issue faced by government.

Q&A

How should we make our community safer?

I think the biggest issue is climate change and if we look ahead down the track, that is the way we are able to secure ourselves against the biggest threat that we could possibly imagine.

What impact, positive or negative, will the Ballarat West Employment Zone have on Ripon?

I think it will have to be a positive effect, we are all looking to increase employment and that is one of the many ways we can go.

What action should be taken on climate change?

Well it clearly requires multiple actions but one of them is a carbon tax or the equivalent type trading scheme and those sorts of actions that eat into the fossil fuel industry and reduce the use of dangerous fossil fuels are absolute critical.

Do you think same-sex marriage should be legal?

Yes.

Do you think abortion should be legal and available to all women?

I think so.

What is the biggest infrastructure priority for Ballarat?

I think it has to involve agriculture and I think it involves better transport for agriculture and for better freight for moving agriculture commodities.

Should tomato sauce be free with a meat pie?

I prefer salsa anytime.

The Beatles or Rolling Stones?

The Stones.

What's your favourite TV show?

Pimp My Truck I think, or Trick My Truck, (I am) really rapt with that stuff.

What's your favourite meal?

Something spicy, something spicy but no so much meat. I am sort of quasi-vegetarian.