Is Sally Capp about to do a Dan Andrews? The Age asked her directly

Is Melbourne about to get a new lord mayor?

Sally Capp, 56, arrived back at work on Monday from a near month-long break that included a bucket list voyage to Antarctica with her sister where she contemplated her future. But Melbourne’s lord mayor avoided directly answering if she would recontest the role when asked on Friday.

Sally Capp enjoys a new Southbank playground in 2022. Credit: Luis Enrique Ascui

Elections are in October and not one of the dozen people in local government circles that The Age spoke to this week expects that Capp, the former commercial lawyer, Victorian executive director of The Property Council of Australia, Collingwood Football Club board member, thyroid cancer survivor, mother to two adult sons and twice-elected lord mayor will go around for a third time.

“I absolutely love my role as lord mayor. It’s an absolute privilege. I’m completely overstimulated, which means I’m exhausted and exuberant, often all at the same time,” Capp said.

“To Be Determined” is the official lord mayoral sanctioned terminology about Capp’s future. All councillors are far too focused on the council budget and annual plan, the first draft released in May, she said.

Lord Mayor Sally Capp after the easing for face mask rules in February 2022. Credit: Joe Armao

One theory is that Capp hasn’t yet decided her future. Another was put forward by two independent sources, who preferred to remain anonymous so they could speak freely. They predicted Capp would leave in May and hand over the mayor robes to her eager deputy, Nicholas Reece, who could then campaign in October as the incumbent.

Doing a Dan Andrews, you might say, in reference to the former premier who resigned last year in favour of his deputy Jacinta Allan, who will go into the 2026 election as premier with plenty of experience.

“Well, actually, if I did a Dan Andrews, I’d go through to the election. And then I would resign after the election,” said Capp, referring to Andrews’ three poll victories. But resigning close to an election would allow Capp to hand over to her deputy and avoid a byelection for the mayoralty.

Former 3AW host and ex-parliamentarian Derryn Hinch is focused on civic pride.Credit: Justin McManus

Oh, Capp has heard lots of theories. “In fact, even as I was dialling your number today another theory popped up on my texts from somebody.”

This week minds were concentrated on the mayoralty when former shock jock turned federal senator Derryn Hinch, 80, threw his celebrity hat in the ring on a platform of “Make Melbourne Magnificent”. He wants council property used to shelter homeless, more sensible policy around e-scooters and fears there are too many bike lanes.

Hinch joins pollster and veteran candidate Gary Morgan, 82, as the only declared candidates in a campaign where residents within the City of Melbourne – including some international students – get to vote, as do directors of companies headquartered in the area. Businesses get two votes and residents get one.

Already ruling themselves out are nightspot proprietor Nick Russian, and media figures Eddie McGuire and veteran radio broadcaster Neil Mitchell. Greens councillor Rohan Leppert is not standing again, and the Greens are yet to preselect a mayoral candidate. Liberal councillor and failed candidate for the Aston federal byelection, Roshena Campbell, is said to be interested in running, but undecided.

Ann Peacock, a board member of the Victoria Racing Club and former Crown executive, has expressed interest in running but has not formally declared.

Former candidate Nick Russian will not be contesting. Credit: Jason South

As befits any two-term politician, Capp divides opinion. There are those who think she is a good ambassador for the city, others who say business has turned against her.

She was a tireless champion for her city, turning up in an embroidered face mask with tassels for opening nights and spontaneously dancing under a tree at a Melbourne Food and Wine Festival World’s Longest Lunch in Fitzroy Gardens one year.

The Capp agenda? Cleaning is the first thing she mentions. The budget the most important. A new cleaning contract starts in May, much more visible against graffiti tagging and rubbish disposal.

She flags the continued regeneration of the Queen Victoria Markets, The Make Room homeless initiative, and a green battery project.

Post-COVID, footfall is rising, particularly on Sundays and evenings, but still weak on Mondays and Fridays. Retail vacancy is down from 31 per cent during COVID to 7 per cent but still above the target of 5 per cent.

She defended her pet $300 million Greenline project, which would create four kilometres of interconnected promenades on the north banks of the Yarra River between Birrarung Marr and the Bolte Bridge, saying big investments even in times of economic strain builds confidence and excitement about the future.

“We know that there are other investment decisions that get made around the city based on our investment and federal and state government investment in big city-shaping projects like Queen Victoria Market and Greenline,” she said.

Arron Wood was acting lord mayor in the aftermath of the Robert Doyle resignation after multiple harassment allegations and was deputy lord mayor to Capp before he ran for the top job last time.

“I am considering it. But it’s a big role and you have got to be 100 per cent committed to it,” Wood said.

“My sense of duty and looking for ways to play a leadership role has not lessened – it is still there.”

Pollster Gary Morgan, 82, who has stood at least four times before, said the most important issue was crime. “It will have a terrible impact on tourism.”

More security cameras were needed on major streets, Morgan said. He wants more councillors from the suburbs that form part of the City of Melbourne, including parts of East Melbourne, South Yarra, Port Melbourne, Kensington, Parkville and others.

“I don’t expect Derryn or myself will win but our preferences will decide who does win,” Morgan said.

Capp welcomed other quality and diverse candidates.

“I’m anticipating this isn’t going to be a two-horse race. In my experience after two elections, there will be a lot of candidates putting their hand up and I would encourage that. I think that is a really good, healthy thing,” she said.

Capp said she was continually reminded that Melbourne was a fast-growing and multidimensional city.

“I got pulled up by a resident in a forum not long ago for continually saying CBD ... we are now referring to it as a metropolis and trying to capture all of that.”

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