Big V: ‘Attacks won’t work on me’: Yarra Mayor Stephen Jolly focused on ‘making change’

Stephen Jolly has taken control at Yarra Council and is shaking things up with policies once considered radical in the woke stronghold — emptying bins and putting up Christmas decorations.

Yarra Mayor Stephen Jolly. Picture: Wayne Taylor

The bedtime book of choice for Stephen Jolly – left-wing activist, construction worker, long-time socialist and now City of Yarra Mayor – is not what you would expect.

“I’m reading Donald Trump’s Art Of The Deal right now.

“I read everything. I read everything from right to left, from the Communist Manifesto to Mein Kampf and everything in between.’’

The political world is such a maelstrom at the moment that Jolly, 62, has even been compared to Trump and branded a few other names unsuitable for a family publication.

After 20 years on council and being the noisy rebel behind the barricades throwing metaphorical rocks at the council, Jolly now finds himself in the big chair at Yarra and is the voice of pragmatism and a champion of small business.

Making changes. Lots of changes.

Stephen Jolly says people are now proud to say they work in Yarra. Picture: Wayne Taylor

One of his first calls was for Yarra to embrace Christmas, asking council officers to put out the decorations.

Jolly said he was surprised by the feedback — the strongest positive response from residents he had ever received since being elected in 2004.

And last week he tabled a $241m budget, including the council’s largest ever capital works program and with a $15m surplus.

He finds himself in control after harnessing four years of discontent with the last Greens-dominated council, to form a Yarra For All alliance that contested the election six months ago.

Six Jolly-aligned independents won in the nine seats, delivering Jolly the mayoral reins, after two decades as councillor.

“I was offered many, many times the opportunity to become mayor before, and it was like a trap.

“It was like they wanted to turn me into the Queen Mother, so to speak.

“Because a position like mayor, without control, is totally meaningless. It just would have been a vanity project.’’

Stephen Jolly finds himself in control after harnessing four years of discontent with the last Greens-dominated council. Picture: Jason Edwards

Now that he is in charge, he has not wasted time bringing in his reform agenda, based on what the independents had campaigned on.

And at a pace that surprised and even alarmed his political rivals and critics.

The first post-election council meeting had an unprecedented 36-point omnibus motion covering 23 different issues. Everything from narrowing bike lanes, scrapping a controversial park in Richmond, more money for cleaning graffiti and bringing Abbotsford bin collections in line with the rest of Yarra.

Did someone say “roads, rates and rubbish”?

“I’m not making any apologies for that motion, because we had to do it.’’

Jolly says Yarra had become a laughing stock and staff had been embarrassed to tell people at a barbecue or dinner party that they worked at Yarra because people would laugh at them.

“Now people are proud to say they work in Yarra.’’

The Yarra municipality covers quintessential inner city Melbourne – suburbs like Richmond, Abbotsford, Collingwood, Fitzroy, Fitzroy North Clifton Hill, even parts of Carlton. Greens and woke politics abound.

The Yarra municipality covers quintessential inner city Melbourne – suburbs like Richmond, Abbotsford, Collingwood, Fitzroy, Fitzroy North Clifton Hill, even parts of Carlton.

The narrowing of bike lanes on Elizabeth St, North Richmond, was emblematic of the Jolly revolution. The plan included making the lanes similar width to the connecting lanes on Albert St and restoring some parking for residents. The change sparked howls of protest from the bicycle lobby amid claims the council was pro-car.

“We (independent candidates) literally doorknocked every house on Elizabeth St and in North Richmond public housing estate, five towers, the biggest estate in Australia and I know we have the majority of people on our side,’’ Jolly said

And as for the criticism of his handling of the matter?

“The critics, the Greens and sections of the bike lobby who turned up to the council meeting and became doyennes of sensitivity. ‘How dare Mayor Jolly talk to us like that?’’’

“These pricks have gone out for weeks and weeks and weeks and told the Victorian public a lie – that we were going to rip out bike lanes, when we are doubling the amount of money on them.’’

He describes his opponents as “like a coalition of the liars and the lied to’’ and that Greens “sooked” at a recent council meeting.

“There’s nothing I said that was offensive. I was blunt. And I told them the facts of life. That we (the independents) won the election, the people are on our side, not on their side.’’

Jolly with a statue of Molly Meldrum in Richmond. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

So yes, Jolly can be, well, direct, combative even. As for his critics, the short answer is he doesn’t care.

“I believe in straight talking. I’ve been battle hardened in the construction industry. Whether you hate the CFMEU or love the CFMEU like I do (Jolly was a union delegate for five years), it’s a tough industry.

“Look, I’ve been doing this for a long time. Personal attacks are part of the game. You’ve gotta accept it.

“And I’m not going to be distracted by attacks, it won’t work on me. Whether I’m called a conservative Trump, a crazy Communist or a stooge of the CFMEU, I don’t care. I have to concentrate on my job to make change and represent the community.’’

Jolly says he believes in straight talking.

Stephen Thomas Jolly was born in London in 1962, the child of a young woman who had run away from Dublin. His dad cleared out and Jolly never met him. Only later, thanks to DNA research, did he find out his father’s identity but he had long since died.

His mother returned with her baby to the family home on the Sallynoggin public housing estate on the south side of Dublin

“Then my grandparents legally adopted me. And I was told they were my parents.

“So until I was 14, I thought that my grandparents were my parents, and my mother was my sister.’’

Then his “mother” got married and they moved to Cape Town, in apartheid-era South Africa, where Jolly was then told who his real mother was.

“From the point of view of a 14-year-old coming from a freezing cold public housing estate in Dublin, the next minute, I’m in South Africa under apartheid, in a white family with a swimming pool and a maid and all that.

“And because I had an accent, the girls thought I was cool.’’

That brief privilege was later to turn to anger at the injustice of the apartheid system.

Jolly has spent more than 40 years fighting for left-wing causes.

Jolly has more than 40 years fighting for left-wing causes, instilled from his working class roots.

While studying at the University of Cape Town, apartheid policies fired his protest instincts.

“Then I went back to Ireland in early 80s, and joined the Irish Labour Party, and hooked in with what was then called the ‘militant tenancy’.’’

It led to a year of dissent in Zimbabwe, protesting against the Robert Mugabe regime.

“Then in 1984, 1985 when I was back in London, I met this girl from Queensland who’d was working in London and had overstayed her visa. I fell in love, we got married, and then me, her and two other Aussies, also from Queensland, went back.’’

They landed in Sydney and, based in Parramatta, set up what later would became the Socialist Party.

Jolly, now 27, was then sent to Beijing in 1989 and was in Tiananmen Square during the protests and massacre.

“I managed to get out on one of the planes that Bob Hawke sent over for Aussies.’’

By 1992 he had moved to Melbourne and was in the vanguard of the rallies against the policies and cutbacks by then Victorian premier Jeff Kennett.

“In 1993 I was the campaign co-ordinator for the Richmond Secretary college struggle, which is now Melbourne Girls College.

“We occupied it for a year, me and the local people in Richmond.

“We ran an illegal school with sacked teachers through 1993.’’

Name a cause and Jolly was probably there. Woomera, Latrobe Valley workers, East West Tunnel.

Stephen Jolly speaks to supporters at a bin tax rally at Richmond Town Hall. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

A long-term member of the Socialist Party, Jolly ran twice for the state Upper House and now says losing (he lost the second time in 2018, on preferences, to Fiona Patten) was the best thing that ever happened.

“To this day, I’m so glad I didn’t win that election. Because I would have been stuck in the Upper House that most Victorians don’t even know exists with zero power, just making the odd speech that may or may not get a line in the Herald Sun once a year, once every six months. Whereas if I actually stand on council, and now ended up leading a team of independents actually taking control of the council and now being mayor.’’

Jolly left the Socialist Party left about six years ago but still considers himself a socialist. “I describe myself as such a Marxist, I guess. Definitely.’’

An old-school lefty in a professional, Greens-dominant electorate.

Even so, his connections with residents, and somewhat surprisingly, small businesses, saw him win his MacKillop ward election last October without needing preferences. The Greens recorded less than 30 per cent of the vote.

“I‘m literally the councillor for Fitzroy. You won’t get a more woke area than Fitzroy.

“A fifth of the area is still extremely poor, where all Asian and African people live, and it’s almost all concentrated on the housing estate.

“So on that estate, it’s bread and butter issues – parking, building a futsal stadium so the kids get 24/7 access to play soccer, helping them with the housing, the existential threat from the state government to knock the towers down.

“With the other 80 per cent, where I live, it’s quality of life issues. People, yes, they might be middle class or even more upper middle class, but they’ve worked really, really hard, and they’re looking for a quality of life in the inner city.

“So they want to protect live music. They want to make sure there’s enough parks for all the people that are moving in.

“They want to make sure that there’s bike lanes, that there’s tree canopy, and we don’t allow the extra population to turn us into Docklands or South Bank soulless with no community infrastructure, a concrete jungle.’’

Jolly, pictured in 1996, has spent more than 40 years fighting for left-wing causes.

Relaxing is not really an issue for this father of two and grandfather of three.

“I’ve been doing this (activism and politics) since I was 18 and I’ve never burnt out.’’

But he does go to the gym and soccer is his real passion.

“I’m a maniacal Manchester United supporter. So even now nearly at the end of season, and we’re in 14th spot, I will get out of bed at whatever time they play to watch their games live.

“Also I’ve got some very, very good close friends, most of whom are not involved in politics. They’re not in the bubble with me, which is good.’’

A typical day sees Jolly rising early, a habit from construction industry hours, grabbing a takeaway latte and then behind his desk in Richmond Town Hall before 7am.

“I get in when it’s quiet, I can catch up on my emails and get a head start with no distractions.’’

He’s determined to change Yarra and move on from the previous administration.

“The last council was a disaster. The worst council in the history of Yarra, and probably the worst council in the history of Victoria.

“It’s the most progressive voting area. But they had conservative polices and they did nothing to prepare the area for the growth that is coming.

“And concentrated on secondary culture war issues. And gave a free kick to their opponents and made it a laughing stock.

“They were hopeless. That’s nothing about the individuals. I have no problem with any of them.

“It was a disaster and that’s why they were vomited out last October.”

Jolly has been described as ‘probably the hardest-working councillor in Australia’.

Although he is still pro-Palestine and anti-Australia Day, noticeably absent from the Jolly agenda so far has been culture war that defined the Greens’ time in office, again leading to allegations that he was a conservative.

“Who privatised aged care? The Greens. Who brought in bin taxes that disproportionably affects working class people? The Greens. Who took away senior concessions at our leisure centres? The Greens.

“These are all right-wing, Thatcherite, neo-liberal policies. And they turn around and call me a Tory?

“I just think it’s funny. And the community finds it funny. Somebody bought me a MAGA hat the other day. It’s just become a running joke. But whatever.’’

Which brings us back to his reading material, the Art of The Deal.

“It’s actually more interesting than I thought it was going to be. I can tell he (Trump) didn’t write it. He had a ghost writer.

“It’s like the thinking of any smart entrepreneur you’ve ever met.

“So there’s a lot that I thought was useful, obviously he’s totally up himself. And he’s a narcissist.’’

One Yarra observer described Jolly as a “complex individual and his heart’s in the right place.’’

“He is absolutely the opposite of most politicians and I’d say the hardest-working councillor in Australia. Just don’t tell him I said that.’’

Off the record

First job and pay:

Counting cows in an Essex field for $1 a day because the farmer thought some were getting stolen

If you weren’t doing this job, what would you be doing?

Back on-site in commercial construction where all the interesting people are

Five people you’d invite to a dinner party (dead or alive)?

My granny, who brought me up (I miss her every day); Leon Trotsky; Dolly Parton; Joe Rogan; Joan of Arc

Book everyone should read?

Generation F’d by Alison Pennington, shows the problems facing young people today and offers real solutions

If you could live anywhere in the world besides here, where would it be?

Cape Town

First concert, dream concert (dead or alive)

First: Joe Jackson

Dream: Led Zeppelin

Most inspirational living person?

Gary Foley

What advice would you give your 18-year-old self?

Say yes to everything – at least once – don’t miss a single opportunity you get

First car, current car, dream car?

First: A stolen Ford Capri;

Current: Chery Tiggo 4;

Dream: Porsche Cayenne

One thing people didn’t know about you/hidden talent?

I’m a good cook

Best and worst birthday present you’ve ever received?

Worst: A model aeroplane at my 13th that my mate had already built “to save me the effort”; Best: A mars bar from my daughter when she was seven that she’d already eaten

Rainy day TV binge?

White Lotus season 3 or back episodes of The Sopranos to learn about leadership

Song you get pumped up to?

Picture me rollin’ – 2Pac

Death row last meal?

Never eat on the last night, you don’t want to vomit on the gallows

Biggest career regret?

That I wasn’t good enough to be a professional soccer player

Best piece of advice you’ve received?

Trust your gut instinct

This year I’m most looking forward to …

Making Yarra a place people are proud to live in

The one thing I’d love to change about Victoria/Victorians?

Have a broader perspective, our problems are relatively minor compared to loads of the world’s population

The one thing I love the most about Victoria/Victorians?

Personal safety; wages and conditions won by Victorians in the past; piss-taking of everyone and everything – it grounds us all.

Originally published as Big V: ‘Attacks won’t work on me’: Yarra Mayor Stephen Jolly focused on ‘making change’