Election Special

Jess Marsh

Footscray District
Party:
Independent

I am a climate campaigner and a human rights lawyer. I have called Yarraville home for more than a decade and – with my partner – I am raising my three daughters here.

Like so many local families, I love what makes the Inner West special: our diversity, creativity and strong sense of community. But I also see the pressures we face every day. Dirty air. Poor planning. Rising housing costs. Overcrowded schools. Green spaces under threat. A community that is too often overlooked.

Throughout my career, I have worked in the Victorian public service, the United Nations and community organisations, including the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre in Footscray. I have spent my career solving complex problems, bringing people together and standing up for communities.

I am running as a community independent candidate in this year’s Victorian election for the seat of Footscray. Not because I think politicians have the answers, but because I think communities often do.

I am standing because our community deserves an independent voice that is accountable to local people, not to a political party or vested interests. 

Like many in our community, I am disillusioned with the status quo, and a political system that isn’t working for our communities. I am tired of politicians telling us who to blame and taking cheap shots at each other. Politicians talking but not saying anything real. Negativity without solutions.

What we need is people who are prepared to collaborate and solve problems.

This election will also take place at a time when fear and division are becoming louder in Australian politics. Some are trying to sell a vision of Australia built on blame. ‘Blame migrants.’ ‘Blame multiculturalism.’ That is not Footscray.

As someone who grew up in Hong Kong, who has lived and worked across Southeast Asia, Ethiopia, and Footscray, I know that diverse communities are stronger communities. Footscray’s diversity is our greatest strength. It makes us more creative, more resilient, and more compassionate.

I reject the politics of division completely. I will always stand for a community that is inclusive, welcoming and united.

Community independents like Dr Helen Haines MP, Cathy McGowan AO, and Senator David Pocock have shown that being independent doesn’t mean sitting on the sidelines. It means being able to negotiate, work across political divides, hold the major parties to account, and achieve real results for communities.

They’ve also shown that you can do these things while acting with honesty, respect and compassion.

That is the kind of politics I want to bring to Parliament. Independent. Positive. Evidence-based. Community-led.

Question 1: Are you aligned with any political parties (for independents) and to where are your preferences going?

Community Independents encourage voters to make their own individual choice about preferences and do not typically put preference recommendations on their How to Vote flyers.

I will be taking this approach.

I recommend resources like Build-a-Ballot, which can assist voters to inform themselves on relevant candidate positions and policies.

Question 2: What is your position on data centres in the western suburbs? Do you think there should be a moratorium? Should they be independently powered by wind, solar, coal, or nuclear?

I support calls for a moratorium on Data Centres in Victoria until this industry is properly regulated. The Victorian Labor government has rolled out the red carpet for hyperscale data centres in our neighbourhoods, without proper planning, consultation, transparency or regulation.

The Next DC data centre in West Footscray should never have been approved so close to homes, parks and kindergartens. It has negatively impacted the people living in surrounding areas including in West Footscray, Tottenham and Yarraville. The impacts on our energy infrastructure, our energy bills, our health and our environment have not been properly considered. There are now also alarming new reports about risk of fire and explosion, arising from independent OHS Inspector reports of defective welding around diesel lines at Next DC. Residents deserve transparency and urgent answers about what is being done to address this serious safety issue.

I support Citizens of Tottenham’s calls for remediation and compensation for impacted residents. I support calls from community group Westy Residents Against Poles (WRAP) for removal of inappropriate industrial electricity infrastructure from residential streets.

I share the frustration of the community with a lack of accountability from our State government, which is fast-tracking these developments through the Development Facilitation Program (DFP), without adequate safeguards. The ‘Sustainable Data Centre Action Plan’ announced in September 2026 and the accompanying Planning Minister’s Statement of Expectations set out non-binding ‘expectations’, do not apply to projects already underway (even if the planning minister has not yet approved the project), do not assist the residents of West Footscray impacted by Next DC, and do not go far enough. The mandated 150m distance from homes is insufficient. The Plan ‘encourages’ incorporation of renewable energy, water efficiency and use of non-potable water sources. This language is weak and does not introduce any enforceable standards. It is too little too late, and not nearly good enough.

I support much greater regulation of data centres, consideration of community benefit agreements, and a requirement to ‘bring your own new clean energy’ (BYONCE). Without this requirement, the huge energy demand of these facilities risks setting back the energy transition and raising the energy bills of all Victorians.

Question 3: How will you improve public transport options in the west?

I support smarter transport and infrastructure planning that keeps pace with population growth. I support electrification of all public transport to improve air quality in our neighbourhoods. I have pledged to support the Better Buses for the West campaign, which is calling for transformational bus network reform, and a plan for a fast, frequent, connected grid of clean electric buses running every 10 minutes, all day, every day. I also support calls for a new bus interchange at Footscray station, to improve passenger experience and efficiency, and to improve the streetscape in central Footscray. I support improvements to safe active transport infrastructure (walking and cycling) across the electorate.

I will fight for free public transport during school holidays to bring down household costs; and free public transport (and access to indoor activities and pools) to keep people cool during extreme heat days – which are expected to be frequent during this incoming Super El Niño summer.

Question 4: What will you do to reduce air pollution in the western suburbs?

Everyone deserves clean air, no matter which side of the Westgate Bridge they live on.

For decades, Melbourne’s west has carried a disproportionate pollution burden. Our kids are being hospitalised for asthma at some of the highest rates in the State.

Clean air is not a luxury. It is a public health issue. I will fight for all measures called for by the Maribyrnong Truck Action Group (MTAG) in its 2026 Election Wishlist.

I will fight to:

  • Filter the West Gate Tunnel ventilation stacks.
  • Get trucks off residential streets while ensuring pollution and risk is not simply shifted into neighbouring communities. This includes a 24/7 truck ban on Williamstown Road.
  • Accelerate the transition to cleaner freight, including electric trucks and more freight moved by rail.
  • Expand tree canopy and urban greening to reduce pollution and urban heat.
  • Hold the government accountable for protecting the health of children and families in the west.
  • Tackle industrial air pollution so that we can breathe fresh air and leave our windows open at night.
  • Implement a moratorium on data centres in our suburbs until appropriate safeguards are in place, including thorough air quality monitoring, and measures to ensure they do not contribute to air pollution, for example through the use of unfiltered diesel generators.

Question 5: How do you propose to deal with homelessness and housing affordability in the West?

Footscray has higher rates of mortgage stress, tenancy stress, and homelessness than most other inner-city suburbs. Too many families are doing it tough, with the cost of living putting enormous pressure on maintaining stable and affordable housing.

I will fight for:

  • Greater protections for renters including minimum two-year leases and caps on annual rent increases; and strong minimum standards including energy ratings, heating & cooling, and health & safety standards.
  • Saving Gaskin Gardens public housing tower from demolition and instead upgrade it in line with modern housing standards, and in close consultation with residents, in language where necessary.
  • Converting the old Footscray Hospital site into social, public, and affordable housing, and parkland.
  • Extending the stamp duty concession for first homebuyers to $1m, in line with the median house price in Footscray.
  • Improving mortgage protections for owner occupiers and ensure better access to local and free financial counselling.
  • Thorough community consultation to ensure Maribyrnong residents are able to help shape infrastructure planning that keeps up with the rapidly growing population.
  • Priority local housing options for women and their children, in particular victim survivors of family violence and single mother households within minimum timeframes.
  • A statewide, legislated definition of affordable housing.
  • Rate caps for Maribyrnong Council rate payers.

Question 6: What is your policy on abortion?

We all deserve agency over our body, healthcare and future.

I will fight to protect safe, legal and compassionate access to abortion care – and ensure that anyone who needs abortion care can access it when and where they need it, regardless of income.

Question 7: What should be done to combat crime?

A thriving Footscray requires both compassion and accountability. Everyone deserves to feel safe, and people doing it tough deserve dignity and support.

The issues facing many in the Footscray CBD and around the electorate are varied and complex, and we can all plainly see that current approaches aren’t working.

The Footscray CBD is the heart of the electorate and local people and businesses deserve a CBD that is safe, clean, and thriving. Local traders deserve a safe business environment, and people looking for help in Footscray deserve to be met with dignity, respect, and ongoing support.

I will work to expand mental health, alcohol and drug and homelessness support services; significantly increase funding for frontline services to keep women safe from violence; increase visible evidence-based and human-rights informed community safety measures in the Footscray CBD and around transport hubs.

I will fight for more funding to keep the Footscray Police Station open 24/7 and for appropriately trained proactive outreach units to patrol the electorate.

And I will create a Footscray CBD working group of local traders, front line service representatives, community organisations and local people to monitor these new initiatives and make sure they’re working properly.

I will work to improve lighting, maintenance and activation of public spaces; address neglected and vacant land and infrastructure; explore new approaches to revitalising the district; and support local traders and small businesses to ensure a thriving local economy.

At the government level, I will push for stronger integrity and accountability measures to uncover, investigate and prevent corruption; and demand a higher standard of transparency and integrity from our elected representatives.

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