Property Council chief Sally Capp will run for Melbourne lord mayor

PROPERTY Council executive Sally Capp has announced her candidacy for Melbourne lord mayor and has promised not to take any donations from property developers.

BUSINESSWOMAN Sally Capp yesterday unveiled her bid to become Melbourne’s next lord mayor — and has flagged rapid population growth and homelessness as the city’s key issues.

Ms Capp has taken unpaid leave from her job as Victorian executive director of the Property Council of Australia to run her campaign.

And yesterday she pledged she would not accept donations from property developers to fund it.

“I want to make sure that I can represent all Melburnians,” she said.

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Property Council’s Victorian executive director Sally Capp. Picture: Nicole Garmston

Emma Page-Campbell with her husband former lord mayor Robert Doyle. Picture: Nicole Garmston

Ms Capp, 50, will run as an independent, but she has strong pro-business credentials and has built networks across the political parties.

Flanked yesterday by husband Andrew Sutherland and sons Nick and Will, Ms Capp told media and dozens of supporters that she sought a safe, caring and liveable city.

“We also want a prosperous city, a place where businesses big and small can be successful and grow,” she said.

Ms Capp said that managing population growth and dealing with major projects such as the Metro Rail Tunnel would be among her priorities.

“There’s no doubt that there’s going to be short-term pain for us to achieve long-term gain,” she said.

Homelessness was also a key issue, she said. It is one she’s been very familiar with since a stint as head of the city lobby group, the Committee for Melbourne.

“I (will) continue to support those issues that care for the homeless, but also address some of the disruption and frustration that’s caused to residents, business owners, workers and visitors,” she said.

The $193,070-a-year lord mayoralty became vacant after the resignation of Robert Doyle last month.

He was investigated over sexual harassment claims, which he denies.

Asked about the culture of the Melbourne City Council given the sexual harassment scandal, Ms Capp said that if elected, she wanted to be ­involved in internal policy ­reviews.

Sally Capp with son Nick (left), husband Andrew and son Will. Picture: Nicole Garmston

“It’s been a part of my leadership roles in the past to be incredibly enthusiastic about culture because it drives all the other outcomes of the organisation,” she said.

Acting Lord Mayor Arron Wood, who is not running for the job, said he wanted a strong field of candidates because a $100 billion inner-city economy was at stake. “It’s not just ribbon-cutting or ceremonial role,” he told ABC Radio.

So far, the only other confirmed candidate is pollster Gary Morgan. Other possible contenders include state Labor MP Jane Garrett, anti-violence campaigner Phil Cleary, footy personality Sam Newman, former councillor Ken Ong and Harrolds stores co-owner Mary Poulakis.

Nominations for the election open on April 5 and close on April 10. Residents and the owners of property and businesses in the City of Melbourne are eligible for the postal vote.

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