2016-12-19
Rob Salter
The Greens success in the recent Victorian local government election should be a source of encouragement – and lessons – for our efforts to elect local councillors in WA and elsewhere.
This election saw the number of Greens councillors in Victoria increasing from 17 to 29, with particular success in inner Melbourne, where there was an increase from two to four councillors in Moreland, three to four in Yarra, one to four in Darebin and zero to three in Port Phillip, as well as a dozen Greens councillors elected in middle and outer suburbs, regional cities and rural areas.
There are now Greens mayors in Yarra, Darebin and the Shire of Indigo, and Councillor Samantha Ratnam, the previous Mayor of Moreland, more than doubled her vote since the last election to win over 55% of the total in her ward.
What accounts for this surge in the Green vote – and in the number of our councillors elected – and what lessons does it hold for council politics in other states? Well here are my explanations for this success, and the lessons that I believe can be learnt.
- A tradition of party endorsement. Unlike in WA, in Victoria the ALP has traditionally endorsed candidates for council elections. (The Libs put up candidates but dont officially endorse them, rather running them as 'independents.) So the Greens have simply followed the ALP precedent and endorsed candidates too. If party endorsement is not the practice, as it isnt for example in WA, then there may be a reaction to introducing it, but the benefits are sufficient to persist, and in time it should come to be seen as normal.
- Greens success at different levels of government reinforcing each other. With Adam Bandt in the Federal seat of Melbourne, and Ellen Sandell and Sam Hibbins representing the state electorates of Melbourne and Prahran respectively – as well as upper house representation at both levels – voters are getting increasingly used to the idea of Greens candidates as electable, and this will grow as more get elected (including, hopefully, in Batman and Wills after we missed out there by a whisker this year). But the successes at federal and state levels were doubtless encouraged in the first place by the election of Greens councillors, beginning with David Risstrom in Melbourne in 1999 and Gurm Sekhon in Yarra in 2001.
- A well-run campaign. According to CEO of the Municipal Association of Victoria, Rob Spence, the Greens ran 'a really professional campaign. Spence added that 'Their material stands out – its very professional. With large numbers of committed and capable volunteers and strong support from the Greens State Office, campaigns were able to connect with voters and present coherent policy platforms.
- A known quantity. The many independent candidates in the Victorian council elections faced an uphill battle getting through to voters. For independents, unless theyre extremely well-known in an area or have lots of money or an army of friends willing to help, its very hard to communicate their policies and personal qualities to a sufficient number of voters. But the Greens are more of a known quantity, and so people have a sense of an endorsed Greens candidates policies, and they assume that they must have certain qualities to get endorsement, even if they dont know much about them personally.
- A different political structure at local government level. Multiple member wards – a form of proportional representation – gives new parties a better chance to win seats (although in many Victorian municipalities the Greens are now as strong as any other party). But added to this, at local government level the councillors make executive decisions collectively and constitute the 'government at that level, equivalent to the cabinet and legislature combined at state and federal levels. So all councillors gain this experience, and as the numbers of Greens councillors grow in certain councils, they gain experience and a reputation for results as they work to enhance sustainability, fairness and inclusion.
- Having a Labor state government changed the frame of reference. With Labor in power at state level theres a heightened awareness of the limitations of a Labor government. In inner Melbourne at least Labor has almost come to be seen as the conservative alternative, as support for the Liberals has shrunk to the point where theyre no longer a serious contender.
So there is much to be gained from running endorsed Greens candidates for local councils. Voters have greater exposure to the Green message, and they have a chance to experience the beneficial results of having Greens in power. Moreover, success at each level of government can gain from, and contribute to, success at each other level, but given the different structure of local government, it is likely to be easier to get this ball rolling at that level. A Green in council (or two, three or four Greens) can be the start of a big thing.
Photos: Header ̶ Port Phillip Councillors from L-R front row: Katherine Copsey, Tim Baxter (with little Joshy) & Ogy Simic; and in text – Moreland Councillors from L-R: Mark Riley, Nat Abboud, Samantha Ratnam & Dale Martin; and then – Darebin Councillors from L-R: Steph Amir, Kim Le Cerf, Susanne Newton & Trent McCarthy