Next Friday, November 15, the final results of the Victorian municipal election will be announced, however as results in some councils have been finalised it seems many Greek heritage candidates have been successful.
Of the many Greek Australians who stood for election, those who have been elected so far include:
- Virginia Tachos to the City of Brimbank
- Chris Pattas to the City of Boroondara
- Vasilis Tsalkos and Emily Dimitriadis to the City of Darebin
- Tony Athanasopoulos and Georgia Erevnidis in the City of Kingston
- Helen Politis in the City of Merri-Bek
- Paul Klisaris in the City of Monash
- Jami Klisaris and Steve Stefanopoulos in the City of Stonnington
- Jim Grivas from the City of Manningham
- Katerine Theodosis from the City of Merri-bek
- Jim Doukas from the City of Moyne
- Andrew Katos from the City of Greater Geelong
Greek at heart, Nick Reece maintains the keys to the city in Melbourne
Nick Reece was re-elected Lord Mayor of Melbourne, as he was officially declared the winner of the election.
His deputy mayor will be Roshena Campbell Nick Reece – married to a Greek-Australian – was one of 11 candidates for Mayor in this year’s election, including expatriate AFL legend Anthony Koutoufides, who failed to pull off the upset as originally predicted. Shortly after his victory was confirmed, Reece said he was looking forward to the next four years “knowing that the best days for the city are ahead of us”.
“We have proposed a big and bold plan for Melbourne’s future … I am confident that I will be able to deliver what I have promised.”
“I want to work hard every day for the people of Melbourne. I will build a Melbourne that is cleaner and greener, safer, and more prosperous,” he said.
Next to him was his Greek-born wife, Felicity Pantelidis.
“I ran because I love Melbourne. I believe in this city.”
His priorities are to make Melbourne safer – pointing to his policies for new security officers and more CCTV – and to improve amenities and aesthetics, with an initiative that seeks to force those who do graffiti to pay for cleaning.
“No one was more supportive than me [during the campaign] of cleanliness and security. As mayor, I will make it a reality,” he said.
Reece won the primary vote with 20,523 votes, while Greens candidate Roxane Ingleton came in second place with 12,445 votes. After preference distribution, Reece recorded 61.5 per cent of the vote, comfortably beating Ingleton’s 38.5 per cent.
AFL legend Anthony Koutoufides, said, “I really thought until the end that I still had a chance, and I did.”
“It’s definitely my first ‘taste’ of politics, but it won’t be my last.”
Greens struggle to hold councils in Melbourne’s north
The biggest shifts were in Melbourne’s northside, where Greens and independents lost ground to Labor. The Greens that maintained seats did so only through Victorian Socialist preferences.
Greens’ bellicose pro-Palestinian stance, and perception that they were disinterest in migrant communities’ needs such as, aged care, safety, childcare, and sporting facilities seems to have hurt their chances. A trend against what many popularly call ‘woke’ politics, as witnessed in the overwhelming victory of President elect Donald Trump in the United States, may be a reason for the Greens’ poor showing.
In Darebin the Greens lost ground from their tally of three spots on the council but have managed to maintain that number with help from the Victorian Socialists.
Labor made big gains and will hold a majority of council seats with five. Independents were the big losers, except for veteran Gaetano Greco, who is back again. Vasilis Tsalkos who won in Darebin, told Neos Kosmos he was “honoured to have been elected to represent the North Central Ward on Darebin Council.”
“My priority will be ensuring that the council delivers and adequately fund the essential services that residents of Darebin rely on,” Tsalkos told Neos Kosmos.
Cr Emily Dimitriadis also a winner in Darebin when talking to Neos Kosmos, said that she was “honoured” and that “Darebin has entrusted Labor with a strong and stable majority to address the needs of our community and we won’t waste a day to get things done.”
Her priorities she said are those “that the community has been calling on Council for years such as long-term security for our council aged care services; starting the Reservoir Leisure Centre rebuild process; restoring the annual hard rubbish collection; improving street cleaning and prioritising pedestrian crossings to enhance safety; and other important matters that can finally be addressed”.
In Merri-bek new Labor councillor, Helen Politis told Neos Kosmos that she was “honoured to have been elected to represent my community.”
“The feedback during the campaign is that we need to take council back to the issues they are responsible for such as cleaning and maintaining the streets.
“Many also feel that we have lost the sense of community, especially since COVID-19,” Politis told Neos Kosmos.
Politis said that her focus “in the lead up to Christmas is on cleaning our streets and connecting community.”
Liberals lose ground to Teals and independents in southeast
In a dramatic shift, the once Liberal council of City of Boroondara, saw a wipe-out of Liberals by Teals and independents and and is now officially a progressive council.
The former mayor and councillor, Chris Pattas was elected back to council after a 20-year absence.
He thanked the Maranoa ward residents, for “entrusting” him again “after all this time with this responsibility.”
Pattas was successful in unseating a sitting Councillor who was seeking a 3rd term.
“Now much more experienced and wiser I want to help make our city even better for us all and for our children and their children.
In his confirmation Pattas thanked his family for their help with his campaigning and “the constant debating on strategy.”
“I look forward to working with my new colleagues over the next four years and beyond to continue to make our community healthier, happier and more successful achieving our life dreams and ambitions,” Pattas said.
Boroondara the traditionally Liberal conservative council now has two Greens, four Teals, one Liberal and four independent progressives like Pattas.
“It is very rare to unseat a sitting councillor,” said Patas.
“I have worked well in the past with Labor and Liberal state governments, because I am not political and prefer to focus on local issues and work with all political groups.”
He said that the new council is “more sensitive to climate issues, to accountability and transparency and to going back to basics like responsible spending (fixing our roads, footpaths, parks, basic services) and not being irresponsible with rate increases.”
Pattas’s priorities include ensuring that ratepayers’ money is spent “on true local issues.”
“I want to ensure our amenities, like roads, footpaths, parks, shopping strips are clean, safe, and vibrant places for people to use and enjoy life.
“Looking after those in our community that need extra help like young people, the elderly and those with restricted mobility or health issues,” said Pattas.
And support of small business as part of “vibrant communities” is another focus.
