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.
CANDIDATE RESPONSE
Justin Halliday
Thanks for the invitation to affirm PPP's policy framework. I affirm the Progressive Port Phillip Policy Framework.
My key priorities are tackling climate change, increasing affordable housing, supporting thriving shopping centres, increasing tree canopy, increasing participation in our democratic processes, and promoting good urban planning.
Climate change: First, strengthen the Climate Emergency Action Plan in line with the PECAN's climate platform. Second, review infrastructure projects to incorporate up-to-date sea level rise projections, ensuring our investments are protected from coastal hazards. Affordable housing: First, reinstate the annual $500,000 investment in social housing. Second, limit short-stay accommodation (through increased rates, licensing, or limits), returning housing to the long-term rental market and putting downward pressure on rents. Shopping centres: First, work with community and traders to revitalise local shopping strips, especially Carlisle St, which has been neglected for too long! Second, ensure new commercial and residential developments enhance the public realm and support the surrounding businesses, rather than detracting from those. Tree planting: First, increase funding for tree planting to front-load planting. Second, increase protection of existing trees on private land and establish new requirements for large trees in new developments. Democratic participation: Establish a representative citizen jury to advise council on key issues and objectives. Urban planning: First, we need good urban planning, it's essential for our struggling shopping strips and new suburbs like Fishermans Bend. Second, we must empower and support council's city design, urban planners, and planning officers to strive for good design and public realm outcomes in big and small projects. Third, we must ensure that council has a seat at the table in key projects, like the Carlisle St developments, rather than leaving these to the developers. Finally, we must build a connected active transport network, to give people an alternative to vehicle travel for short trips.
I bring curiosity and tenacity, allowing me to question assumptions and pursue ideas and objectives to delivery.
CANDIDATE RESPONSE
Jill Horman
First of all - I affirm the Progressive Port Phillip Policy Framework.
My key priorities are ensuring that our community, whether they are renters, home-owners or homeless, have continued if not increased access to essential civic and community services, especially for the elderly, disabled, parents and children. We need to focus on supporting sustainable economic decisions regarding local jobs and community growth. We must prioritise the betterment of the standard of living for our first nations folk, and those living in social housing.
I would support funding opportunities that are conducive to the continuity of civic and community services mentioned above. I would at any given chance, look at other non-council funding sources and pathways for organisations or services to ensure the important work continues. I am ready to scrutinise plans that come through the council to confirm that they are economically sound and promote sustainability. I will consult with representatives of any and all representative groups when it comes to decision making of a relevant area or issue, always remembering the weight of my decisions and how they must consider what will be the most equitable.
With a background in social work, having worked with adults in crisis, disadvantaged children and single parents in financial hardship - all specifically in Port Phillip and neighbouring areas, I feel connected to the community in ways that go well beyond the surface. I have also worked as an employee representative, working hard to improve the safety and conditions of working people and small business owners in St Kilda, Port Melbourne and surrounds. As a local resident myself, my issues are the issues of the broader community. I am a disaster relief volunteer and believe the council can do so much to support people before and after environmental extremities. I am committed to stepping up when there is a challenge. Together with my skills, priorities, experience and location - I think I will be able to achieve the policy framework, with the amazing support of our community.
CANDIDATE RESPONSE
Josie Foster
First up, I affirm the Progressive Port Phillip Policy Framework!
Recognise and support the 50% of Port Phillip residents who are renters. This number is even higher in Alma Ward and renters are often excluded from consideration from council yet are the ones who are hit with rent rises and forced relocation and lack of security. Maintain and improve Council services for older residents, people with disability, parents and children, including affordable and high-quality early childhood education and care, and vibrant libraries. This is what makes local councils so important to improving the lives of residents compared to other levels of government and is so critical it is expanded to help as many as possible. Council plays an important role in tackling climate change and restoring Australia’s unique biodiversity and creating greener, safer, cleaner streets. That’s why I would promote urban planning that prioritises both positive environmental impacts and pedestrian focused streetscape amenity including networks of parks, social gathering spaces, safe footpaths and active transport paths.
For renters, I will support building more social housing, and oppose the privatisation of public land for developer profit as housing is a human right. I will work with the community to see how we can support regulation of AirBnbs and short term accommodation that artificially increase housing scarcity. I will also make sure that any initiatives for solar or improving energy efficiency will be directly targeted towards renters. For services I will make sure that the services that are currently run by council are safe from privatisation and are adequately funded as well as upgraded. I would love to explore how to expand these services too. I would also want to work with the community to support those who are adjusting to the council no longer offering as many services for older residents. For the environment I will work with the community to create biodiverse corridors, find more places to put community gardens where people can grow fresh produce as there are so many renters in apartments.
I am good at working with others in a team yet still fighting for the values that I hold strong, I am not someone who can be bought out or easily influenced away from my core values. My work and study has been to improve our environment through improvements to our society so I have an understanding of how working to solve the climate, rental and cost of living crises can be positive in so many different ways and not something to be afraid of.