Progressive Port Phillip, the Green, Labor and independent candidate lobby group, launched their 2024 election policies at the Middle Park Bowling Club last Tuesday.
The meeting attracted about 100 supporters in a promising sign for the group’s 2024 effort to influence the Council elections scheduled for October.
The meeting heard motivational speeches from community members fired up by Council issues:
Justin Halliday pitched the importance of Council in supporting actions to address the climate emergency;
Laura Hill spoke of her involvement in saving three community-run early learning centres from closure by Council;
and Martin Kingham denounced the recent exit from in home aged care services as an attack on the most vulnerable.
Umbrella for the community
Long time PPP advocate John Spierings stressed the importance of electing more progressive councillors.
He listed a broad range of issues as the progressive agenda, including climate emergency, support for renters, investing in social housing and building community assets.
More council candidates go public
A number of candidates declared their interest at the Progressive event, including:
Alex Darton, Independent, Balaclava Ward
Earl James, Greens, South Melbourne Ward
Justin Halliday, Independent, Alma Ward
Tim Baxter, Greens, St Kilda Ward
Liliana Carranza, Greens, Elwood Ward
Louise Crawford, Labor, Ward TBC
Also at the event was Angelica Di Camillo, the yet to be confirmed Greens candidate for Alma Ward.
Q&A with Progressive Port Phillip
TWiSK will be asking all groups participating in the election to be transparent about their finding and activities.
Here are their responses to our initial questions.
Looking back …
Q: How much money did you raise for the 2020 [Council election] and can you detail the sources, including the top five donors?
Fundraising for the 2020 election campaign involved donations made by individuals and two raffles, totalling just over $70,000. The top five donors were all residents of Port Phillip with no interests in property development. No donations were received from political parties or organisations. We did not seek permission for any donor’s name to be made public. The remaining funding came by smaller donations and the raffles.
Q: Did you provide accounts to the authorities?
Progressive Port Phillip is an incorporated association and we report annually to Consumer Affairs Victoria as required.
No funds were provided by Progressive Port Phillip to any candidates at the 2020 election. We ran an independent grassroots community campaign to raise awareness of local issues and to promote a progressive agenda to community members and candidates alike.
FYI Candidates are required to declare donations, and the 2020 declarations can be seen here
We note that this covers donations made direct to candidates and is not likely to include indirect campaign contributions such as large-scale advertising by organisations or parties to whom candidates were affiliated.
Looking ahead …
Q: What are the plans for 2024? How will PPP seek to shape the result?
As presented at the Policy Platform* and Election Campaign Launch last Tuesday, Progressive Port Phillip wants a Council that works for the whole Port Phillip community in all its diversity. This includes retaining and growing our community services through public ownership and accountability. No more privatisation of services and assets.
We want real action on the local environmental and climate challenges facing us now and into the future. This includes ensuring a climate and environmental lens over everything that our municipality does. Especially in our planning scheme, our transport infrastructure, our water supply and use, our urban spaces – to maximise sustainability and reduce carbon emissions.
We seek Council investment and partnerships with other governments and the community sector to increase the supply of social housing and advocacy for better renters’ rights.
We want an end to the self-interested political divisions that have dogged this Council term. We want a competent Council that is prudent in managing finances and caring in its provision of services. And a Council that genuinely engages all of us in new and innovative ways of making decisions.
We plan to:
Convene local neighbourhood meetings in our nine new wards;
Reach out to civil society & business stakeholders;
Run campaigns on key issues;
Conduct leaflet, billboard and poster publicity;
Design and host progressive candidate workshops covering key issues; and
Work with those candidates who affirm the Progressive Policy Platform to encourage a team approach for change.
TWiSK will publish Q&A with other groups / candidates as they emerge.
Contact Greg Day to submit as a candidate
