2024 Melbourne City Council election

Australian local government election
2024 Melbourne City Council election
← 2020 October 2024 2028 →
Leadership team
 
Candidate Nicholas Reece Phil Reed Mariam Riza
Deputy candidate Roshena Campbell Virginia Willis Luke Martin
Party Team Nick Reece Labor Liberal
 
TAW
IND
Candidate Arron Wood Roxane Ingleton Anthony Koutoufides
Deputy candidate Erin Deering Marley McRae McLeod
Party Team Arron Wood Greens Independent
Lord Mayor before election

Nicholas Reece
Team Nick Reece

Elected Lord Mayor

TBD

The 2024 Melbourne City Council election will be held in October 2024 to elect nine councillors and a leadership team (consisting of a lord mayor and deputy lord mayor) to the City of Melbourne. The election will be held as part of the statewide local government elections in Victoria, Australia.[1]

Background

Party defections

On 24 June 2022, Bring Back Melbourne councillor Philip Le Liu left the Liberal Party to join the Victorians Party and contest the 2022 Victorian state election.[2] However, the party disbanded on 13 August 2022 before the election was held.[3][4]

Rohan Leppert trans comments

In March 2022, Greens councillor Rohan Leppert made comments in a private Facebook group about the Andrews state government's gay conversion therapy laws.[5] After the comments were leaked, some Greens members labelled him transphobic and called for him to be expelled from the party.[6]

On 6 April 2022, the Victorian Greens released a statement "in light of recent commentary by Leppert", saying the party "reject[s] any suggestion that trans rights should be up for debate".[7][8] Leppert described the party's statement as "highly tendentious and false".[9]

Leppert chose in March 2024 not to seek re-election after three terms as a councillor.[10]

Sally Capp resignation

On 28 March 2024, then-Lord Mayor Sally Capp announced that she would resign before the re-election.[11] She resigned as Lord Mayor on 1 July 2024, and was replaced by Deputy Lord Mayor Nicholas Reece.[12][13]

Electoral system

Like in state and federal elections, the leadership team election uses full preferential voting.[14]

For the councillor election, group voting tickets (GVT) are used − a group registers a GVT before an election, and when a voter selects a group above-the-line on the ballot paper, their vote is distributed according to the registered GVT for that group.[15] Alternatively, a voter can number all boxes for individual candidates below-the-line.[14]

Individual candidates are not able to contest both the leadership team election and the councillor election.[16] This means that even if a group's leadership team candidates are unsuccessful, members of their councillor ticket can still be elected.[16]

Business vote

Businesses are given two votes in Melbourne City Council elections, the only LGA in Victoria where this is the case.[16] Property investors and business owners do not have to be Australian citizens to vote.[16][17]

At the 2020 election, the Melbourne City Council electoral roll was composed of 55.1% business and out-of-the-area property owners, with local residents making up the remaining 44.9%.[16]

A similar electoral system in New South Wales applied for Sydney City Council, where businesses also had two votes.[18] This was abolished in 2023 ahead of the 2024 NSW local government elections.[19][20]

Campaign

The Labor Party officially launched their campaign on 28 August 2024, with Phil Reed as their lord mayoral candidate for the second election in a row and Virginia Willis as the deputy candidate.[21]

Regent Theatre sale

On 8 September 2024, Reece announced he wanted Melbourne City Council to sell its 51% share of the Regent Theatre if he was re-elected.[22] An urgent motion at a council meeting was tabled by Councillor Jamal Hakim noting that council has "no intention or policy basis to sell the Regent theatre" was passed several days later with six votes in favour.[23]

The proposal to sell Regent Theatre has been opposed by Team Wood, Team Hakim and Labor.[24][25]

Candidates

After being sworn in as Lord Mayor of Melbourne, Reece confirmed he would seek re-election, although he would not be running as an endorsed Labor Party candidate.[26] He announced incumbent councillor Roshena Campbell, a Liberal Party member, as his running mate on 28 July.[27]

The Victorian Liberal Party endorsed leadership team candidates for the first time in the party's history.[28]

In February 2024, former senator Derryn Hinch announced he would run for Lord Mayor of Melbourne. However, one month later he withdrew, citing the costs of running a campaign.[29]

Councillor Jamal Hakim announced his intention to run for Lord Mayor on Friday 2 August on a vision for Melbourne as a democratic, welcoming and flourishing city. Hakim announced a transparency and anti-corruption platform to start his campaign. He announced his deputy running mate as Esther Anatolitis, co-chair of the Australian Republican movement.

Leadership Team

Party Candidates Background
  Team Nick Reece Nicholas Reece Lord Mayor since 2024
Roshena Campbell Councillor since 2020
  Labor Phil Reed 2020 Labor lord mayoral candidate
Virginia Willis
  Liberal Mariam Riza
Luke Martin
  Greens Roxane Ingleton [30]
Marley McRae McLeod
  Team Arron Wood Arron Wood 2020 lord mayoral candidate
Erin Deering Entrepreneur and fashion designer[31]
  Team Hakim Jamal Hakim Resident Independent and Councillor since 2020
Esther Anatolitis Resident Independent and Co-chair of the Australian Republic Movement[32]
  Independent Anthony Koutoufides Former Carlton AFL player
Intaj Khan Developer
  Animal Justice Eylem Kim
Bruce Poon
  Independent Gary Morgan Pollster and perennial candidate[33]

Councillors

Incumbent councillors are highlighted in bold text.[2]

Greens
  1. Olivia Ball[34]
  2. Karl Hessian[10]

Retiring councillors

  • Rohan Leppert (Greens)[10]
  • Elizabeth O'Sullivan-Myles
  • Jason Chang

References

  1. ^ "Local council elections". Victorian Electoral Commission.
  2. ^ a b Car, Sean (21 November 2023). "City of Melbourne elections: who's staying, who's going?". CBD News. Archived from the original on 16 March 2024. Retrieved 8 July 2024.
  3. ^ Rooney, Kieran (24 June 2022). "Victorians Party announce first batch of candidates to take on major parties". Herald Sun. Retrieved 8 July 2024. Other upper house candidates include City of Melbourne councillor Philip Le Liu
  4. ^ "Victorians Party announce abrupt exit from state election race, citing finance difficulties". Herald Sun.
  5. ^ "Greens councillor Rohan Leppert under fire for online comments". OUTinPerth. 30 March 2022. Archived from the original on 1 March 2024. Retrieved 8 July 2024.
  6. ^ Sakkal, Paul (1 April 2022). "Leak puts Victorian Greens in turmoil over transgender policy". The Age. Archived from the original on 8 December 2023. Retrieved 8 July 2024.
  7. ^ "Statement from the Victorian Greens". Victorian Greens. 6 April 2022. Archived from the original on 2 October 2023. Retrieved 8 July 2024.
  8. ^ Thomas, Shibu (7 April 2022). "Victorian Greens Apologise To Trans Community Over Out Gay Councillor's Comments". Star Observer. Archived from the original on 24 June 2023. Retrieved 8 July 2024.
  9. ^ Leppert, Rohan (16 June 2022). "In defence of party democracy". Greens Tea. Archived from the original on 17 September 2024. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
  10. ^ a b c Car, Sean (27 March 2024). "The Greens preselect lead City of Melbourne candidates". Inner City News. Archived from the original on 9 April 2024. Retrieved 8 July 2024.
  11. ^ "Statement from Lord Mayor Sally Capp". City of Melbourne. 28 March 2024.
  12. ^ "Nicholas Reece sworn in as new Lord Mayor". Melbourne News. City of Melbourne. 2 July 2024. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
  13. ^ Aubrey, Cara Waters, Sophie (2 July 2024). "New lord mayor to target 'completely unacceptable' safety issues, cleanliness". The Age. Retrieved 4 July 2024.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  14. ^ a b "Preferential voting". Victorian Electoral Commission. Archived from the original on 18 September 2024. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
  15. ^ Callander, Lucy (9 September 2024). "FAQ: Everything you need to know about the 2024 Victorian local council elections". Herald Sun. Leader. Archived from the original on 12 September 2024. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
  16. ^ a b c d e Waters, Cara (28 August 2024). "'The worst in the country': Business and the wealthy favoured in race for Town Hall". The Age. Archived from the original on 18 September 2024. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
  17. ^ "Unique voting rights at Melbourne City Council". Fiona Patten - Leader of the Reason Party. 18 June 2019. Archived from the original on 19 September 2024. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
  18. ^ O'Sullivan, Matt (12 July 2021). "Cost to ratepayers of businesses voting in City of Sydney election nears $13m". Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 14 October 2023. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  19. ^ Hoenig, Ron (13 September 2023). "Fairer democratic elections to return for City of Sydney". NSW Government. Archived from the original on 27 August 2024. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  20. ^ Chuter, Andrew (9 October 2023). "Business vote gerrymander abolished in City of Sydney". Green Left. Archived from the original on 21 February 2024. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  21. ^ "Labor reveals its team for the City of Melbourne". Inner City News. 28 August 2024. Archived from the original on 30 August 2024. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  22. ^ Chwasta, Madi (8 September 2024). "Half of Regent Theatre to be sold under City of Melbourne Lord Mayor re-election bid". ABC News. Archived from the original on 12 September 2024. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
  23. ^ Placella, Laura (10 September 2024). "Urgent motion on Regent Theatre sale proposal debated at Future Melbourne committee meeting". Herald Sun. Archived from the original on 10 September 2024. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
  24. ^ "Boos for lord mayor's Regent Theatre sell-off plan". The Age. 8 September 2024. Archived from the original on 10 September 2024. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
  25. ^ "I was pleased to stand alongside candidates for Lord Mayor Phil Reed & Jamal Hakim as well as fellow City of Melbourne residents, creative professionals & small business owners to oppose the plans to sell the Regent Theatre". Twitter. Arron Wood AM. 15 September 2024. Archived from the original on 15 September 2024. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
  26. ^ "Backroom Baz: Liberal Party candidate Angela Newhouse pops up at UK election". Herald Sun. Sunday Herald Sun. 7 July 2024. Retrieved 8 July 2024. Reece is of course life long Labor man, having been a former adviser to Steve Bracks and Julia Gillard and being Mayor is his first big step to the front and centre of the political stage
  27. ^ "Roshena and I have worked together closely on Council for four years, and I have a great deal of respect for her". Twitter. Nick Reece. 28 July 2024. Archived from the original on 29 July 2024. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  28. ^ Placella, Laura; Douglas, Carly (21 July 2024). "Liberal Party to endorse Melbourne lord mayor for first time in history". Herald Sun. Archived from the original on 29 July 2024. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  29. ^ "Derryn Hinch pulls pin on mayoral bid due to the excessive cost of running a campaign". Herald Sun.
  30. ^ "Greens' Melbourne Lord Mayor ticket to run on housing affordability issue". Herald Sun. 25 July 2024. Archived from the original on 25 July 2024. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  31. ^ "Our People". teamwood.com. 17 September 2024. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  32. ^ "Our Team". teamhakim.com. 17 September 2024. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  33. ^ Royall, Ian (28 February 2024). "Derryn Hinch will contest election for Melbourne's Lord Mayor". Herald Sun. Archived from the original on 2 March 2024. His confirmed nomination came as pollster Gary Morgan declared he would also contest the mayoral election, pledging to expand the city's free tram zone.
  34. ^ "Olivia Ball". Australian Greens Victoria. Archived from the original on 2 May 2024. Retrieved 8 July 2024.
  • v
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Results
Overall
LGAs
  • Greater Geelong
  • Melbourne