Candidate Assessment Responses
Progressive Port Phillip is a public campaign for stronger local democracy and a fairer, safer and more sustainable community. Many residents have asked us to provide guidance on candidates.
Over recent weeks all candidates standing in the October 2024 Port Phillip Council election were surveyed.
The first part of the Progressive Port Phillip assessment asked candidates to affirm a broad and principled Progressive Port Phillip policy framework.
Additionally, we asked 3 questions:
- What are your key priorities in the policy framework and why?
- What would you do to advance these priorities?
- What’s the most important attribute you bring that will enable Council to achieve this policy framework?
We also sought information from other sources including VEC statements, election material, TWiSK, candidate websites, affiliations and statements made on Council matters.
The outcome gives us hope that if elected, a number of candidates will support the whole Port Phillip community, work with the community to address climate change threats to homes and businesses, support more social housing and vulnerable renters, keep services in public hands and plan for our young people’s future.
And it indicates that the next Council could work to strengthen our local democracy so that all the people of the community are heard and respected.
If candidates did not affirm the policy framework it indicated that the strength of their commitment to a fairer, safer sustainable community was below expectations.
Advocacy for a rate freeze inevitably means cutting services. We recommend that voters should preference against candidates who have advocated such policies. Our council needs sound financial stewardship, not political stunts. [Read more here]
Below you can see the responses of all the candidates who responded.
I believe Council must serve the whole Port Phillip community, with compassion, care and equity at the heart of all decision-making. Sadly, missing in recent times. We must turn this around to achieve a Council serving the common good. For this reason, my priorities for the next term are: • Stronger community services and support for community initiatives: the arts, community gardening, sport, recreation, and more • Greater investment in community and affordable housing and support for renters • Leadership on local climate action: support for equitably electrifying Port Phillip, responding to the threat of sea level rise and flooding, accelerating urban greening • Genuine engagement with residents and local businesses.
Community services and initiatives: • review the decision to outsource most in-home aged care • ensure the timely re-development of our children’s centres • stop deferring renewal of our libraries • work more positively with local community initiatives. Housing: • double investment in community housing from $500,000 to $1mill per annum • rebuild relationships with our local housing providers for genuine partnerships to leverage State and Federal funding • redirect funding from the Social and Economic Recovery Package to support the work of local agencies assisting renters in crisis • encourage/incentivise affordable housing developers to build in Port Phillip. Leadership on Climate: • review and strengthen the Climate Emergency Action Plan to accelerate priority actions with additional funding for the 25/26 Budget, including an energy retro-fitting program for vulnerable households • establish a Climate Action Advisory Committee of Council. Genuine engagement with residents and local businesses: • Propose a Standing Citizens’ Panel to enhance Council decision-making starting with a role in the development of the Council Plan and Budget • Commitment to regular bi-monthly ward meetings to hear from locals and keep them informed of Council activities.
A dogged commitment to collaboration to get good things done for a fairer, safer more sustainable future.
Specifically, my key priority revolves around reimagining how we deal with unwanted household goods. The embedded carbon in items such as furniture is immense; a leather sofa can be equivalent to several thousand kilometres of tailpipe emissions from an average family sedan. For the past decade I've helped people deal with unneeded household contents through sale and donation, and the biggest barriers most people find to engaging in the circular economy and preventing goods from going into landfill are safety concerns when dealing with strangers in their homes, not knowing what charities will accept which items, and the time cost involved. I feel that council is perfectly placed to utilised some of their spaces to facilitate safe exchanges of goods, and to act as hubs for items to be dropped off for various charities to pick up. There would inevitably be some excess that is unsuitable for donation, but as it would otherwise be put out for hard rubbish anyway, having it centralised obviously creates efficiencies for removal and reduces net costs to council.
The key priorities I support are listening to our community valuing their opinions and suggestions on decisions that impact them. Appreciating diverse cultures and understanding community needs and perspectives building trust between the council and residents. I support the arts heritage and wellbeing including foreshore and water quality in the bay.
I would be the voice for the whole community, residents, traders, ratepayers and renters artists families and elderly. I would hold the council accountable for spending whilst ensuring essential services are never compromised. To assess risks and identify strategies to manage waste on development sites. To liase with nearby councils to also include planning permits to stop concrete, paint and chemicals entering the bay. I am passionate about the environment and have been given professional advice on what action can be done. If I am elected I will be moving a motion to act on this to help protect our bay.
I have served on Kew council for three terms and have a proven track record. My achievements have been developing a recreation centre, restoration of Villa Alba, Bicentennial bike path ,introduction of heritage overlay, Beautification of the suburb, supporter for passive recreation among a few. I have a wealth of knowledge and a deep understanding of community needs. My family live in Port Phillip and use kindergarten, childcare and facilities. I am retired and have the time to dedicate to this community.