Catherine Robertson | Victorian Socialists

Hi, I’m Catherine.

I’m running with the Victorian Socialists in this year’s Maribyrnong council election because I am angry that politicians who serve big business ignore our suburbs. Whether it’s housing, public transport and roads, or access to quality public services and amenities—the west has been denied the investment needed to build a decent life.

I grew up here. Having worked in universities and hospitals, I am now completing a degree to become a teacher. I am a trade unionist and have organised campaigns to protect the environment, fight against racism, support Palestine and reduce economic inequality.

Our area used to be an affordable community for migrants and workers. But it’s becoming impossible to live in. Developers make millions from soaring property and rental prices, while the state government sells off desperately needed public housing or leaves it in disrepair.

Councils have a responsibility to help turn this situation around, but they need a shake-up. Working people and our interests need to be prioritised over the wealth of a small few.

If elected to the Maribyrnong council this October, I’ll fight for all of us.

VS Maribyrnong Platform

Real action on housing!

Victorian Socialists are fighting for real affordable housing in the City of Maribyrnong. We think our Council needs to play a much more active role in exploring solutions to the housing crisis and fighting for state and federal government policy changes.

A Council that fights for the state government to

Implement laws enforcing a 30% minimum of public housing on all large multi-storey developments.
Abandon state government plans to demolish all the public housing towers (including Gaskin Gardens in Footscray), and commit to a major renovations project instead.
Introduce a legislative amendment empowering local government to charge differentiated rates on investment properties.
Change the definition of “affordable housing” to ensure prices are substantially below market levels;
Implement a ban on all ‘no reason’ evictions.
Introduce regulatory changes enabling renters to keep the interest made on bond.
Uncap the Community Infrastructure Levy (currently $1450 per dwelling), to allow Councils to impose higher levies on developers to ensure community and social facilities (such as libraries, aquatic centres, sporting facilities) are actually accounted for. This is especially important in the context of the state government’s population and housing targets, aiming to double the number of dwellings in Maribyrnong in the next 25 years.

For a Council that

Encourages and incentivises community-controlled social housing as opposed to large social housing providers that channel funds to “corporate services” instead of social services.
Incentivises body corporates to ban Airbnb short-term style (holiday) rentals.
Enact a council-wide audit to identify vacant properties, unused buildings, and unused or under-utilised public and private land that could be used to expand the stock of public and social housing.
Ensures the Development Infrastructure Levy charged for developments to account for costs such as roads, public transport, drainage, childcare centres, etc., is actually paying for the future needs of residents.
Protects renters rights, including establishing a Council rental advocacy service.

Housing is a number one priority for Victorian Socialists

Victorian Socialists is the only party that prohibits landlords from running as party candidates in any elections.
Our councillor Jorge Jorquera has fought for social housing in Maribyrnong, and put particular effort into supporting community controlled social housing, such as co-operatives, like United Housing which is building the Footscray Lions Co-operative Village on Summerhill Road (housing for low income older people, predominantly women over the age of 55 years).
Victorian Socialists has also worked to support the Techno Park community, whose housing tenure has been threatened by evictions ordered by Hobsons Bay Council.

Climate action in the here and now!

Local government has the capacity to play a leading role in climate action. While it can't change the laws and economic priorities that have led us to potential environmental catastrophe, Council can empower local communities to take action in both mitigation and adaptation.

What we’ll fight for

We can learn from the recent Maribyrnong River floods and re-establish a 'community emergency management plan', where residential wardens play a key role in communications and in helping develop adaptation strategies (something Council used to have that was developed after the 1974 floods).
We need to keep and expand green space in Maribyrnong, and develop proper and ambitious urban forest and urban farming strategies, making use of idle land to establish large scale community gardens and green cover.
Advocate for public transport improvements and develop a plan for a local free shuttle service that could decrease traffic and parking issues in central Footscray, Seddon and Yarraville.
Develop a safe bicycle network that encourages use of bikes for local trips (exploring various options for cheap but properly separated bike lanes).
Establish 'pedestrian trails' that encourage walking to and from schools, shops, and other facilities and places.
Regulations and planning decisions that keep polluting facilties and heavy transport out of residential zones.

What have we done?

Organised local action in response to the toxic fires created by dangerous industry, demanding action from EPA and Worksafe.
Helped organise numerous actions in support of cycling infrastructure.
Fought to defend the integrity of Footscray park along side Friends of Footscray Park.
Fought to save McIvor Reserve, alongside Friends of McIvor Reserve.
We have sought to guarantee the survival of community sports clubs and opposed the privatisation of our green space to benefit professional sports entities.
We have campaigned for road safety in various locations of Maribyrnong City.
We have fought against various attempts to increase heavy industry facilities and truck traffic, including the Paintback proposal in West Footscray, the extension of the cement grinding facility in Yarraville and the new licence application for the storage of dangerous goods in Coode Island (to store approximately 230 tanks, containing foodstuffs, combustible liquids and dangerous goods, 1.2km from the Yarraville Village).

Fighting for basic services, resident's rights & social justice

Councils have to put people first, as communities who share needs and basic values. This means prioritising equity and social justice, and helping promote solidarity among our communities. It includes a human rights approach that recognises injustice and aims to support those in our communities that are subjects of it.

We will fight for a Council that

Treats people as active citizens not just "rate-payers" and consumers.
Reverses the privatisation of local services, expanding Council operations in health, youth, and community support and development (including increasing funding to neighbourhood houses).
Re-establishes council run childcare centres.
Maintains and improves age care assessment and support services.
Takes action around food justice, exploring the establishment of a public grocer, supporting community gardens and expanding council support for the Maribyrnong Food Relief Network.

What have we done

Three of the first four resolutions moved on Council were by Victorian Socialists Councillor Jorge Jorquera.

The first moved in December 2020, urged the Minister for Education to support a Vietnamese bilingual program in a local western suburbs primary school, after the only such program in Victoria was axed in Footscray. Since then Jorge has remained a committee member of VietSpeak, a Vietnamese language advocacy group who, with Council support have helped start the first kinder bilingual program in Maribyrnong at Cherry Crescent Preschool in Braybrook. As part of this we are also on the organising committee for the Language Festival, first organised in 2023 and happening again December 7 this year in Footscray.
We moved the motion that started the conversation to recognise January 26th as day of mourning, eventually resulting in a policy of lowering the Aboriginal Flag to half-mast on January 26, and removing Citizen ceremonies on that date. As part of this process we were founding members of the local indigenous rights solidarity group Justice Action Maribyrnong (JAM).
In May 2021, Jorge moved the #racismNOTwelcome resolution. Council adopted this national campaign, placing streets signs throughout Maribyrnong and committing to organising an annual event March 21, to mark the United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. Maribrynong was the first Victorian Council to adopt it and remains one of few.
Jorge has worked alongside various African community organisations, and is currently working on an advocacy program to support African businesses and communities who work and come together in central Footscray. Jorge worked with Africause and Victoria University to establish a teacher program especially targeted at training more teachers from African community backgrounds. This program, which includes scholarship and wages, is now in its second year with a large new intake of students from various CALD backgrounds.
We have worked with the Rainbow Local Government Team, standing up to the attacks on LGBTQIA+ events. Including moving motions affirming council solidarity with the LGBTQIA+ community in response to the attacks on Drag storytime events in libraries. Victorian Socialists councillor Jorge Jorquera has also sat on the Maribyrnong LGBTQIA+ Advisory Committee.
Because of Victorian Socialists, Maribyrnong was the second local government in Victoria to pass a motion condemning Israel’s genocidal war on Palestine.

Victorian Socialists will fight for a Council that is transparent and accountable

Our Councillors will hold monthly Ward meetings with residents.
We will work with local action and community groups to empower communities and put pressure on government.

What have we done

Victorian Socialists Councillor, Jorge Jorquera, has worked with community groups and organisations throughout Maribyrnong.

Supporting neighbourhood houses.
Campaigning with environment groups like Green Guerrillas to change Council’s nature strip policy, and working with a range of environment groups on supporting community gardens, and other greening projects in Maribyrnong.
Supporting the work of Friends of Footscray Park and Friends of McIvor Reserve to help preserve and expand on our green and public spaces.
Working with social enterprises to support community programs in social and environment justice.
Supporting the work of groups like Friends of the Earth in campaign for sustainable cities.