Lord Mayor Sally Capp accused of abandoning business base for progressive agenda
Ratepayers, business groups and senior Liberals have slammed Lord Mayor Sally Capp and the Melbourne City Council for supporting “woke causes” over which they have no responsibility or jurisdiction, urging Town Hall to instead focus on doing their job.
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Melbourne City Council has been slammed for pursuing a left-wing agenda and being distracted by populist issues beyond its authority.
Business groups, ratepayers and senior Liberals have slammed the “progressive” agenda of Lord Mayor Sally Capp’s council which has recently declared a climate emergency, backed pill-testing and called for a ban on whips in horseracing.
The Sunday Herald Sun understands that members of the city’s traditional and business constituency increasingly feel alienated by Town Hall’s agenda including a ban on cars from some city streets, asking developers to pay for social housing and paying $1 million for a “resilience professor’’. The council also considered banning the popular Melbourne Cup parade.
And last month, the council pushed to out Catholic churches that did not comply with mandatory reporting of state child abuse laws, even though the issue was well outside its responsibility.
Opposition local government spokesman Tim Smith said Melbourne ratepayers were sick of the Lord Mayor and councillors advocating on issues for which they have no responsibility or jurisdiction.
“Council should focus on issues it has direct responsibility for such as supporting small businesses, ratepayers, shoppers and commuters rather than spending so much time and money on the latest woke cause.”
Cr Capp took over the mayoral robes at Town Hall in May 2018 after a by-election triggered by the resignation of Robert Doyle amid sexual harassment allegations. Mr Doyle’s departure led to the break-up of the former Team Doyle.
Liberal Peter Clarke, a former Melbourne and current Nillumbik councillor, said Cr Capp did not have a voting bloc and was trying to manage a fractured council so was hostage to other interests.
Cr Capp said the council had a role to represent the whole community and maintained that the business world had not been neglected.
“The City of Melbourne spends millions of dollars each year supporting businesses through small business grants, marketing support, and citywide activations like Christmas in the City to attract people to boost trade.
“We held our first Future Retail Forum on Friday to support our local business community.’’
Businesses have more say in the Melbourne election than any other council. About 60 per cent of voters are business owners and out-of-area property owners while residents make up just 40 per cent of the electoral roll.
Cr Capp also said she confirmed the city’s support for the Melbourne Cup parade last week, countering a rival Greens motion to scrap the event which lost 7-3.
Institute of Public Affairs’ spokesman Evan Mulholland, called on the council to end its “far-left activist agenda and stick to cutting rates, collecting rubbish and fixing local roads’’.
“Frankly, no one gives a stuff if Melbourne City Council has declared a climate emergency or has taken a stance on federal government issues.”
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Ratepayers Association spokesman Dean Hurlston said Melbourne’s agenda had been hijacked by radicals.
“Anyone walking through Melbourne, tourists or shoppers, would see rubbish, graffiti, homelessness … there is enough to going on to deal with without being distracted by these other issues that don’t concern them,’’ Mr Hurlston said.
Cr Capp, a former head of the state Property Council, angered developers with a plan – backed unanimously – for developers to include affordable housing in private residential developments.
“(The plan) aims to provide economic benefits to our city for both workers and businesses. We need key workers such as teachers, police, hospitality staff and cleaners living near where they work.’’
Urban Development Institute’s Victorian chief executive Danni Hunter said “excessive’’ affordable housing requirements would drive up prices and reduce housing supply.
Property Council Victoria executive director Cressida Wall said councils were already asking for new developments to include between six and 21 per cent affordable housing before the council’s latest plan.
“If that happens, homes won’t get built and that means even less affordable housing,’’ Ms Wall said.