BOB Bath was born in Barmera on the River Murray in South Australia and grew up in country towns around the state mainly in fairly arid country, a very different world to Beechworth. He moved to Melbourne for his first job at the age of 19 and escaped to Beechworth six years ago.
What's your job?
I retired three years ago after working in information technology from the late 80s.
What brought you to this role?
I found it by accident. I worked in a number of fields and one day found that I enjoyed writing computer programs so I went back to university part–time to study business information technology.
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What did you love about your job?
I really enjoyed project work. I always enjoyed being given a problem and finding a solution. It could be a one–day project or something involving a number of people for a number of months. For 30 years I got paid to help people solve interesting puzzles.
What do you do in the community?
I recently joined the Shutterbugs Photography Club organised by Quercus Beechworth community coordinator Jessica Oldmeadow. I'm also involved with environmental groups – particularly on climate change issues.
What's the most important current community issue for you?
I think housing availability is the most important immediate issue in our community. Buying a house in this region has become too costly for many people. People like me, moving from the city and retiring, are part of that problem. The lack of rental accommodation is also a headache for many. Some people have converted housing stock into short–term accommodation for tourists and that also contributes to the problem. Our region attracts huge numbers of visitors and much of our economy now relies on them. But businesses can't find workers because workers can't find housing, so businesses are having to limit their hours or provide slower service and, anecdotally, visitors are expressing their dissatisfaction with the situation.
What would you do to solve, change or improve that situation?
I think we urgently need to find a way to create quality, attractive, affordable housing. Higher density, pre–built homes, small apartments, townhouses, housing cooperatives. We need to think outside the existing model.
What's the most important current world issue for you?
If we don't curtail greenhouse gas emissions very quickly, we'll suddenly find we're living in a world where catastrophic droughts, wild–fires, floods and mass starvation have become the everyday norm. I used to think it was a future issue but, hey, read the news – it's here already. Our "first–world" societies will join the "third–world" – just look at our people in our bush–fire and flood affected communities now living long–term in tents and sheds.
If the person you would most like to meet came to Indigo, or was already here, who would that be and what would you show them?
It would be great to catch up with Ned Kelly and show him around his old stomping ground.
Why would you show him that?
I think he'd be chuffed to see how he's evolved from being a horse thief and murderer to becoming a national symbol of resistance against oppression. Such is life!
What book are you reading?
"Hothouse Earth: An Inhabitant's Guide" by Bill McGuire. Not a pleasant read if you take science seriously as I do.
