As Victoria’s council elections approach on October 26 and postal votes are now being sent out, former Victorian Minister for Health, Jenny Mikakos, has thrown her support behind Labor Councillor Emily Dimitriadis for re-election in Darebin Council’s South East Ward.
“Without Emily Dimitriadis, we would not have had Kalamata Lane, the Greek flag-raising ceremony on Greek National Day, and support in many other ways for our Greek seniors and cultural groups,” Mikakos told Neos Kosmos.
“I am supporting Emily in her re-election because multicultural communities, including our own, need effective voices on Darebin Council.”
Darebin, located in Melbourne’s northern suburbs, has become a battleground between Labor, which is the traditionally is the party of post-war working-class immigrants, as well as new new migrants, and the Greens, who tend to represent progressive professionals gentrifying the area. The conflict is writ large as the northern council seeks to balance services such as, aged care and childcare against what one may see as more activist agendas, including causes like Middle Eastern war protests and initiatives such as meat-free Mondays.
Cr Dimitriadis, a pharmacist and human rights lawyer, describes herself as a “champion for justice, fairness, and equity.”
“Despite being outnumbered by a Greens majority on Darebin Council, I have fought alongside our community and succeeded in stopping the privatization of kindergartens, childcare centers, and aged care services,” she said.
“I have lived in Darebin my entire life and I love our vibrant community. I will continue to ensure that our residents are listened to and that their rates are spent wisely,” she affirmed.
A key issue over the last few years has been the revitalisation of the Reservoir Leisure Centre, which falls under her Labor colleague Vasilios Tsalkos’s North Central Ward.
The debate over the council’s priorities intensified in 2022, when Darebin Greens Cr Susanne Newton sparked controversy by questioning the need for a 50-meter pool in Reservoir.
She claimed that “many new migrants in the area who may not have experienced swimming before” might not need such a facility, which prompted a petition that labeled the comments “offensive and discriminatory,” gathering nearly 2,000 signatures.
The argument from Labor has been that Greens councillors did not hesitate to approve the redesign of Northcote Aquatic and Recreation Centre at whopping $63.5 million. Northcote’s re-gentrification and influx of professionals according to Labor, have led to the Greens overlooking the needs of migrant communities.
Cr Dimitriadis told Neos Kosmos that she has been a firm advocate for Darebin’s multicultural residents.
“I have passionately supported increased participation of women and girls in sports, and I have been a dedicated listener to the concerns of our elderly and vulnerable community members, ensuring their voices are always heard.”
A concern raised by former Victorian Health Minister Jenny Mikakos is that many older Greeks who have settled in the area may not be aware that voting is both compulsory and conducted by postal ballot. This is the first time Victorian council elections have been conducted entirely by post since the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns.
For information on how to vote go to www.vec.vic.gov.au/enrolment/enrol-to-vote
