Hi, I’m Annie. I’m a publishing worker, a member of the Media Entertainment & Arts Alliance and long-term Yarra resident, and I’m proud to be the Victorian Socialists’ candidate for Boulevard Ward.
I’m running for council because I believe that genuine democracy begins at the local level. Community activism is the starting place, and often the decisive factor, in any successful political campaign – whether it’s to stop harmful developments, defend renters and prevent evictions, or to protect public assets like parks, schools and housing.
Under the current council, democracy has been going backwards. Meetings have been halved, and it’s become much harder for local residents to engage with council processes and hold representatives to account. Meanwhile, more power has gone into the hands of highly paid, unelected executives.
While ordinary people struggle with the cost of housing and other day-to-day essentials, Yarra council has significantly increased the cost of services like childcare, health and leisure, cut spending on infrastructure and maintenance, and fully privatised in-home aged care. As the housing crisis deepens, it’s even knocked back funding for social housing.
As the municipality with the most public housing in Australia, Yarra should be leading the fight against the state government’s disastrous plan to tear down all the city’s public housing towers. If elected, I’ll campaign to protect and upgrade public housing, and to keep public land in public hands. I’ll also fight for a crackdown on dodgy developers and investors hoarding vacant properties; for a renters’ advocate to protect tenants’ rights and give renters a voice on council; and for regulations to ensure that all new residential developments in Yarra include green spaces, communal facilities and space for social housing.
Councils have a responsibility to ensure that everyone in the community has access to the services they need for a happy, healthy and fulfilling life. I’m committed to expanding council-run services, especially housing, health, childcare and food relief, and making sure everyone has access to sports, gardens and leisure facilities. I will also move for council to urgently adopt a boycott, divestment and sanctions policy towards Israel.
I first got involved in politics as a teenager, walking out of school to protest the invasion of Iraq. Since then, I’ve been involved in campaigns for climate action, refugees, LGBTQI+ rights and more. I joined Victorian Socialists when it launched in 2018, drawn to its focus on grassroots activism over political careerism and its clear anti-capitalist principles. Now more than ever, we need councillors with these principles – representatives who are prepared to stand up to the state government and developers, who want to engage with the local community and ensure their views are heard.