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.
Truthfully, it is really hard to narrow down any of the priorities. All of them are valuable and in the last 8 years have been my focus but there is always more to do. Probably focussing on local ways to improve our biodiversity, housing and helping renters and continuing support of the arts.
Firstly, listen and collaborate with the community - they have so many ideas we can tap into. Examples - increase habitat homes for birds e.g. bird boxes, ensure rain gardens also add to pollination corridors, increase arts funding by CPI ( which hasn't happened) and find more opportunities to innovate re social housing.
My 8 years experience on council & understanding how to navigate council to make stuff happen as well as my willingness to listen, learn and collaborate.
My key priorities in coming to council are to revive our community, enhance our streets and rebuild trust in Council and councillors. This looks like enhancing council services and our streets to make them accessible to all in the community (Strengthening our community 1), reducing financial and housing stress for our residents (Strengthening our community 2 & 5), greening our streets (Protecting our environment 3 & 5) and making them more active transport friendly (Protecting our environment 7), and engaging in genuine consultation with residents especially around decisions of high importance and where there may be misinformation (Strengthening local democracy 1). To make our community thrive again we need to ensure everyone is able to be involved in community, by removing any barriers they may have, and, ensure Council are acting with community's genuine interests at heart.
All of my policies come from deep discussions with residents (and actually the majority of them were suggested by residents when I doorknocked them and endorsed by their neighbours!), they include: - Ensure a minimum of social and affordable housing in new big builds - Prioritise the planting of endemic species - Reduce the speed limit on St Kilda street -Urgently advocate for additional litter trap systems for canal - Implement consistent safe crossing options including across Glen Huntly rd where it crosses the canal - Advocate for speed cameras along Beach rd - Consult with community on the median of Broadway - potential for a biodiversity link or cycle link - Utilise deliberative council techniques to engage a range of residents over a period of time to contribute to decision making for potentially divisive issues
A genuine desire and proven record in actively listening to the community. Also, my professional work as an environmental consultant means I am adept in negotiating and considering various options and making decisions with a focus on present and future impacts.