Are you a member of a political party, political group, or community advocacy group? (eg; Labor, Liberal, Greens, Socialist, My Place, Angry Victorians, Better West, environment groups, etc)
Victorian Socialists
What is the most important issue facing your electorate?
Housing is the key issue for most people. Around two-thirds of all residents are either paying mortgages or rents. Many are in financial stress, with million dollar price tags on homes and near 100% increase on rents in the greater Footscray area over the last couple of years. Housing is a key factor in the cost of living crisis. It has forced many working and migrant families out of Maribyrnong, with all sorts of follow-on effects: reduced access to services, forced into under-resourced schools, increased commute times, social isolation, etc.
Should/how can Council support local businesses?
Councils talk a lot about supporting business, but the reality is that most spending goes to infrastructure (roads, etc) that supports big business, like Highpoint Shopping Centre. Local small businesses suffer for this. Footscray central was once a thriving small business hub, destroyed by Highpoint. There is not a single corner store that existed 20 years ago. The best way council could support local business would be to adopt measures that promote small over big business, such as introducing a public grocer in Footscray Market and transport and street improvements that encourage residents to walk or use shuttle services to shop locally.
Should/how can Council support local creatives and industries?
Councils should support the creative arts, particularly facilitating artists who are otherwise marginalised from the elite arts institutions and funding bodies.
Should/how can Council help alleviate the impact of climate extremes on local communities and ecosystems?
Local government has the capacity to play a leading role. While it can’t change the laws and economic priorities that have led us to environmental catastrophe, Council can empower local communities to take action in both mitigation and adaptation. Council can:
- learn from the recent Maribyrnong River floods and re-establish a ‘community emergency management plan’, where residential wardens play a key role in communications and in helping develop adaptation strategies;
- expand green space in Maribyrnong, and develop ambitious urban forest and urban farming strategies, making use of idle land;
- advocate for public transport improvements and develop a safe bicycle network that encourages use of bikes for local trips;
- make regulations and planning decisions that keep polluting facilities and heavy transport out of residential zones.
Should/how can Council help alleviate cost of living and homelessness?
Council can play a critical role in advocating for state and federal policies that tackle the housing crisis, monopoly pricing by supermarkets, energy costs and other key economic problems. There are also lots of short term measures Councils can help with. For example, a number of towns have introduced sleep-buses for homeless residents. We could also explore establishing a public grocer to provide cheaper groceries, drawing on co-operative buying and community gardens.
What should Council stop spending money on?
Consultants and outsourcing. Privatisation costs money and reduces local jobs.
Should the public be allowed to ask live, unscripted questions of councillors during council meetings?
Of course! It’s completely undemocratic that the community is prevented from directly addressing council and councillors.
Can you please provide a short personal statement detailing what your priorities are if elected, and what your vision for your electorate looks like.
- Fight for the state government to enforce a 30% minimum of public housing on all large developments and abandon plans to demolish Gaskin Gardens public housing tower.
- Fight to uncap the Community Infrastructure Levy, and allow Councils to impose higher levies on developers to ensure community and social facilities (such as libraries, aquatic centres, sporting facilities) are paid for.
- Establish a Council rental information service to protect renters rights.
- Introduce a new local law requiring a council approved permit to list homes for short-term accommodation, like Airbnb.
- Fight for regulations and planning decisions that keep polluting facilities and heavy transport out of residential zones.
- Reverse the privatisation of local services, and expand Council operations in childcare, health, youth, aged and community services (including increasing funding to neighbourhood houses).
- Expand council support for the Maribyrnong Food Relief Network, explore the establishment of a public grocer, and support community gardens.
- Re-establish a ‘community emergency management plan’.
- Expand green space in Maribyrnong, with an ambitious urban forest and urban farming strategy.
- Fight for public transport improvements and develop a safe bicycle network.
- A more transparent and accountable Council, including monthly Burndap Ward community meetings.
