Emma Dook

Hi, I’m Emma. I’m a Merri-bek local and housing support worker in a community health organisation. In my work, I see firsthand the impact of the housing crisis on the most vulnerable. I’m running as a Victorian Socialists candidate because I want to fight for housing for all, and against a system that enriches developers and the wealthy few at the expense of the rest of us.

I’ve been an activist since the Howard era, when I walked out of school to protest against the invasion of Iraq. I am a second generation Japanese migrant, and I remember well the vicious anti-Asian racism of Pauline Hanson the first time she was in parliament. Since then, I’ve been involved in many campaigns against racism and for migrant rights–whether it’s against the inhumane refugee policies of successive Liberal and Labor governments, or against the anti-Muslim racism of the far right.

I am also a trade union activist and delegate for my union. In my previous role as an English as a second language teacher, I was involved in establishing a union at my college, which had previously been a non-union site. I am incredibly proud of what me and my co-workers achieved there, and I learnt many lessons that I have taken to organising at my current workplace.

Council is an important platform to advocate for issues that matter–including fighting for affordable housing for all, taking on developer greed, campaigning for better public transport and taking up social issues such as Palestine. Too often, corporate interests dominate politics, and key services are privatised or cut because they don’t make money, even though people depend on them. As a socialist, I believe society’s resources should be put towards helping people, not subsidising the profits of the wealthy. My experience as an activist has shown me that we can win if we unite and mobilise as a community, and that’s what I’d like to see more of in Merri-bek.