The lord mayor candidates’ policies and why they want your vote

There are 11 candidates running to become Melbourne’s next lord mayor. See their backgrounds, major policies and why they think you should vote for them.

Almost a dozen candidates are running for lord mayor.

The race for the city’s top job is almost over. For months, a field of 11 candidates have been campaigning to become Melbourne’s next lord mayor. From doorknocks to debates, the hopefuls have done it all. Voters have one more week to cast their ballots, which must be posted by October 25. While tens of thousands are ballots would have already made their way back to the Victorian Electoral Commission, thousands of City of Melbourne voters are yet to put pen to paper. Here are the candidates’ final pitches to those voters.

Nick Reece. Picture: Jason Edwards

Nick Reece

Ticket: Team Nick Reece (Independent)

Running mate: Roshena Campbell

Background: Reece has served for four years as a councillor (2016-2020), four years as deputy lord mayor (2020-2024) and six months as lord mayor this year. The long-time Labor member and Campbell, a Liberal member, ran together on former lord mayor Sally Capp’s ticket in 2020. They have teamed up to form a “unity ticket”.

Major policies: Freeze rates for one year. Sell the council’s 51 per cent share of the Regent Theatre and reinvest in the local arts scene. Reinstate a lane of traffic along Exhibition St while also maintaining investment in bike lanes. Push ahead with 28 new parks and the Greenline project. Deploy 30 “city safety officers” to patrol crime hotspots. Install 200 more CCTV cameras. Lobby the federal government to reform the fringe benefits tax scheme. Roll out a renewable power purchasing plan. Introduce incentives for developers to convert vacant offices into apartments. Personally attend court hearings to call out graffiti vandals.

Councillor candidates: Veteran councillor Kevin Louey, Queen Victoria Market trader Mark Scott, digital entrepreneur Lisa Teh, Southbank3006 deputy president Jannine Pattison, community organiser Hamdi Ali, former aerobics champion Sue Stanley and professional Simone Hartley-Keane.

FINAL PITCH: Melbourne is the best and fairest city in the world – and I want to make it even better. My campaign is focused on you. That’s why I’ll ease the cost-of-living by freezing rates for residents and businesses, cut power bills with Australia’s largest ever bulk purchasing scheme for renewable energy, slash pool entry to only $2 and make pet registration free. I’ll also make our city safer and cleaner by employing city safety officers to patrol Melbourne’s streets, double the CCTV network with 200 new cameras monitored 24/7 and implement a ‘you spray, you pay’ graffiti policy. Just as Victoria was once the ‘Garden State’, I will make Melbourne the ‘Garden City’ with 28 new parks and green spaces. I’m proud to lead a passionate team who will work hard every single day. We have the experience, the plan, the energy and the commitment needed to ensure Melbourne’s best and fairest days are ahead.

Arron Wood. Picture: Supplied

Arron Wood

Ticket: Team Wood (Independent)

Running mate: Erin Deering

Background: Wood has served for four years as a councillor (2012-2016) and four years as deputy lord mayor (2016-2020). Deering, an entrepreneur, founded cult swimsuit brand Triangl more than 10 years ago and grew it into a company valued at $US200m. She left the company in 2016 and has this year set up a new fashion label, Deering.

Major policies: Oppose sale of the Regent Theatre. Contribute $10m to help bring ABBA Voyage to Docklands. Campaign to entice more national and international events to Melbourne. Change the Exhibition St bike lanes while establishing an independent transport panel to oversee the rollout of bike lanes. Scrap the Greenline project, but honour awarded project contracts. Bring back the Melbourne Money scheme. Put rough sleepers up in hotel rooms as a circuit-breaker. Host an annual Christmas parade and European-style markets. Expand sites for legitimate graffiti artists and push for stricter penalties for graffiti vandals.

Councillor candidates: Current councillor Philip Le Liu, former Greens councillor Cathy Oke, lawyer Nicolas Zervos, social worker Hala Nur, Queen Victoria Market trader Michael Caiafa, businesswoman Hope Wei and Team Wood campaign manager Steve Michelson

FINAL PITCH: I’ve been a small business owner in Melbourne for more than 20 years and I’m proud to have raised my kids in Kensington. My deputy lord mayoral candidate Erin Deering is a local mum with global business experience and energy to make our city better. If elected, we will provide independent leadership with proven experience to get back to basics and deliver our five-point plan to give Melbourne the fresh start that it deserves. This includes delivering cost-of-living relief while making our city safer and cleaner by taking real action on graffiti. We’ll get the Town Hall budget under control, while investing in the parks, services and recreation facilities our communities need to thrive. Melbourne can’t afford four more years of the same leadership at Town Hall – our city is less clean, less safe and 45 per cent of businesses have considered relocating or closing their doors. Vote 1 for Team Wood to get the City of Melbourne back on track.

Anthony Koutoufides. Picture: Wayne Taylor

Anthony Koutoufides

Ticket: Team Kouta (Independent)

Running mate: Intaj Khan

Background: Koutoufides played 278 games for Carlton, including their last premiership triumph in the 1995 grand final. He captained the team for three years. He runs his own fitness business KoutaFit. He is running with Khan, a former Wyndham councillor and property land developer, who was convicted and fined $26,000 in 2018 on eight charges for failing to disclose companies “in which he held office during the return period” and “in which he held a financial interest”.

Major policies: Freeze rates for two years. Shout city workers a Monday morning coffee for at least a month. Stop rolling out wide, protected bike lanes. Build safety booths across city hotspots. Run free fitness classes. Deliver rate and planning fee relief for office to housing conversions. Offer one-off grants of up to $5000 to 1000 businesses that sign a new lease in the city. Lobby the state government to offer “subsidised” travel across the public transport network on Fridays.

Councillor candidates: Former Liberal MP Gladys Liu, commercial property developer Zaim Ramani, World Triathlon champion Emma Carney and professional tennis player Olivia Tjandramulia

FINAL PITCH: I’ve learned so many things running for lord mayor, especially the advantage of being a fresh voice – and not a politician. I’ve been keenly listening to residents, businesses and visitors, representing their views in our policies and ideas. The overriding message I’m hearing is clear – it’s time for change. It’s time for a team with new ideas. It’s time to get back to basics. I was raised in a city which was full of life and vibrancy. It was safe and clean. We were so proud of being known as the world’s most liveable city. Sadly, we know it’s not the case anymore. I’ll take my leadership experience from the football field and work with my team to get Melbourne back on track. That’s the Melbourne I want to see again and that’s the city you’ll live in if I’m elected lord mayor.

Roxane Ingleton. Picture: David Caird

Roxane Ingleton

Party: Greens

Running mate: Marley McRae McLeod

Background: Ingleton is the endorsed Greens candidate. She is a midwife and union representative, running with McRae McLeod, a mental health support worker. Ingleton has never worked in politics but ran unsuccessfully for deputy lord mayor in both 2016 and 2020.

Major policies: Will not freeze rates, but deliver more affordable council services. Electoral reform. Expand the protected bike lane network. Build 300 new “low-cost” rentals for key workers on council land. Advocate for 30 per cent affordable homes in urban renewal areas. Expand sustainable energy programs like Power Melbourne. Complete 15 parks in development and build three more.

Councillor candidates: Current councillor Olivia Ball, allied health worker Aaron Moon and youth worker Barry Berih

FINAL PITCH: A vote for me is a vote to prioritise genuinely affordable and sustainable housing close to where you work. It is a vote to reduce road injuries and fatalities through the building of safe walking and cycling infrastructure for those who want to use it, while freeing up the roads for those who need to drive. It is a vote to bring down your power bill and take climate action, through giving you access to affordable renewable energy under a scaled-up Power Melbourne scheme, including if you are a renter or live in an apartment. And it is a vote to deliver more parks and more access to green open spaces while also supporting wildlife and biodiversity. It is also a vote for making decisions transparently and in the public interest, free from the influence of developer donations, and as lord mayor I will push hard for a review of Melbourne’s broken and archaic electoral system.

Phil Reed. Picture: Supplied

Phil Reed

Party: Labor

Running mate: Virginia Wills

Background: Reed is the endorsed Labor candidate. He has worked for Labor premiers, Slater and Gordon and the TAC. He now heads his own PR firm. He is running with Wills, an RMIT lecturer with a history in workplace and employment relations.

Major policies: “Keep local government local” by focusing on core council services. Electoral reform. Oppose sale of the Regent Theatre. Retire the mayoral robe and chains. Improve lighting in the CBD. Work with the state government to deliver more social and affordable housing. Deliver more libraries, kindergartens and sports centres for the growing population.

Councillor candidates: Current councillor Davydd Griffiths, community development worker Zainab Sheik and sustainability leader Michael Aleisi

FINAL PITCH: Over the next 20 years, the City of Melbourne is set to become one of the fastest growing communities in the nation. One in 20 new homes in Victoria will be built right here in our municipality. This growth will require a focus on the services and facilities we’d usually associate with Melbourne’s urban fringe – kindergartens, parks, playgrounds, maternal and child health, community sport and leisure facilities, and quality programs for the aged. That’s council’s job! That’s why Labor for Melbourne is campaigning under the theme of “keeping local government local”. While our opponents have been chasing headlines, we’ve been going door-to-door talking to residents and businesses about our plans to create communities and strengthen neighbourhoods. We’ve got a great local team united by common values. We have the energy and experience to deliver real results, and that will be our focus if I’m given the opportunity to lead our city.

Mariam Riza. Picture: Supplied

Mariam Riza

Party: Liberal

Running mate: Luke Martin

Background: Riza, a business strategist and consultant, and Martin, a local business owner, are the first endorsed Liberal candidates for lord mayor and deputy lord mayor.

Major policies: Reduce rates to pre-2020 levels. Offer a 5 per cent cashback on rates for businesses who get staff back to the office full-time. Extend one-hour free parking to two hours or more. Remove certain bike lanes.

Councillor candidates: Victorian Liberal Party’s former state treasurer Owen Guest and Chinese language teacher You Li Liston

FINAL PITCH: The Liberals for Melbourne City and I plan to get Melbourne back in business. A vote for us is a vote to revitalise Melbourne. We will achieve this with five major policies. We will encourage businesses to bring employees back to the city five days a week by offering a 5 per cent cashback on rates to these businesses. We will extend one-hour parking spots in the CBD and inner suburbs to two hours or more. We will also enhance business activity by improving safety. We will provide Victoria Police with additional resources to ensure the security of residents, workers and visitors to our once great city. In order to make Melbourne more accessible, we will remove certain bike lanes to reduce congestion. And finally, in keeping with the Liberal way, we will reduce residential rates to pre-2020 levels in order to provide financial relief to homeowners. There will be no more cost overruns or fanciful spending under a Liberal council.

Jamal Hakim. Picture: Supplied

Jamal Hakim

Ticket: Team Hakim – Resident Independents (Independent)

Running mate: Esther Anatolitis

Background: Hakim has served for four years as a councillor (2020-2024) and runs his own consultancy business. He is running with Anatolitis, the editor of literary magazine Meanjin and co-chair of the Australian Republic Movement.

Major policies: Oppose sale of the Regent Theatre. Deliver more affordable housing on council land. Build more public toilets. Provide $10m for multicultural festivals and events.Lobby the state government to offer free public transport during peak hours. Provide new dog parks and free pet registration.

Councillor candidates: Architect Michael Smith, investment manager Lawrence Lam and strategist Judy Gao

FINAL PITCH: My economic plan stands out due to its focus on sustainable growth, community-driven solutions, and long-term financial responsibility. While candidates like Arron Wood propose short-term fixes such as a rate freeze, which risks underfunding critical city services, I prioritise a balanced approach that ensures fiscal sustainability without compromising essential infrastructure investments. Nick Reece’s emphasis on large-scale projects like renewable energy purchases overlooks immediate needs such as affordable housing and local business recovery. I will directly address these concerns by pledging to keep displaced public housing residents in their neighbourhoods, offering comprehensive support for small businesses, and fostering youth-led initiatives that invest in future growth. Unlike Anthony Koutoufides, who lacks substantive policy experience, my proposals are grounded in community engagement and a clear vision for a vibrant, inclusive Melbourne, making me the candidate best equipped to lead the city forward.

Greg Bisinella. Picture: Ian Currie

Greg Bisinella

Ticket: Voices for Melbourne (Independent)

Running mate: Megan Stevenson

Background: Bisinella, an East Melbourne businessman, and Stevenson, a Carlton community leader, are heading up a ‘people over politics’ ticket of residents and businesses.

Major policies: Electoral reform. Focus on local issues such as rubbish, planning and council services. Work with the state and federal governments to address community concerns. Deliver more green spaces.

Councillor candidates: Community activists Mary Masters and James Vasilev-Robertson

FINAL PITCH: The City of Melbourne needs a strong, independent voice for residents and businesses ahead of political party alliances or donor contributions. Independence means as lord mayor I can work with all levels of government to get the best outcomes for this great city, and not be manipulated or ostracised based on party allegiances. This campaign has been filled with many unfunded promises that extend beyond the financial capacity or remit of the council. As lord mayor, I would develop a much stronger and more collaborative working relationship with the state and federal governments so we can meaningfully address community concerns around social housing, homelessness, safety, tourism initiatives and cost of living. Beyond the CBD focus, residents and businesses from Carlton to Docklands, Southbank to South Yarra need a voice that listens and acts on their concerns. Together, we can build a city that reflects our shared values and aspirations, ensuring a vibrant, thriving community for all. Let’s shape our future with purpose and vision.

Gary Morgan. Picture: Aaron Francis

Gary Morgan

Ticket: Team Morgan – Make Melbourne Safe (Independent)

Running mate: Liz Ge

Background: Morgan, the executive chairman of Roy Morgan Research, is running for lord mayor for the seventh time. He has lived in East Melbourne for more than 60 years and is running with Ge, a financial adviser.

Major policies: Merge the City of Melbourne with the nearby City of Yarra and City of Port Phillip. Lobby the state government to give the City of Melbourne its “fair share” of GST revenue. More protective safety officers on streets. Create e-scooter parking bays at the edge of the free tram zone.

Councillor candidates: Residents 3000 president Rafael Camillo and real estate agent William Caldwell

FINAL PITCH: I am the only major business owner running for Melbourne lord mayor who knows the problems faced by residents, having lived and worked in the City of Melbourne for more than 60 years. I’m a founder and life member of the Committee for Melbourne and the Executive Chairman of Roy Morgan, Australia’s most highly regarded research company whose clients include many of Australia’s leading companies, institutions, government departments and multinational companies operating in Australia. As a businessman and Melburnian, I am committed to Melbourne – and have the drive to ensure Melbourne maintains its position within the business world. I know the City of Melbourne better than any of the other candidates for lord mayor. My vision for Melbourne will transform the city into a ‘NEW MELBOURNE’ to once again be a prosperous and bustling metropolis after the extraordinary challenges of the last four years.

Eylem Kim. Picture: Supplied

Eylem Kim

Party: Animal Justice Party

Running mate: Bruce Poon

Background: Kim, a teaching associate, is the youngest candidate in the race at 26 years old. She is running with Poon, a party veteran.

Major policies: Freeze rates for one year. Lobby the state government to extend the free tram zone. Provide discounted/subsidised health care for pets and wildlife. Deliver more dog parks and animal friendly spaces. Increase funding for programs like Gardens for Wildlife.

Councillor candidates: Engineer Aashna Katyal and businessman Rabin Bangaar

FINAL PITCH: Town Hall needs someone fresh, young and passionate. As the only candidate under 30, I understand that the concerns of young people in this election will be the issues local governments try to retrospectively address in the next 10 years. I am here to address those issues now. I will promote youth-oriented programs that create “third spaces” for young people to engage in local politics and navigate the cost-of-living crisis. I am a big advocate for democratising political engagement and our public spaces for residents and animals: when these two are thoughtfully combined this extends to the environment. By supporting initiatives like understorey planting, we can enhance biodiversity and create habitats for native wildlife and pollinators. Increased funding for programs like the Gardens for Wildlife program are great for community engagement and non-negotiable for our ecosystem. It is time for a lord mayor who thinks beyond their next term.

Anthony Van Der Craats.

Anthony Van Der Craats

Ticket: Rip Up the Bike Lanes! (Independent)

Running mate: David Cragg

Background: Van Der Craats is running with Cragg, an industrial relations advocate, and is hoping to pick up on bike lane discontent. The Labor member has preferenced Reece, who has vowed to maintain investment in bike lanes.

Major policies: Review of traffic management, including a review of bike lanes. Rip up protected bike lanes on Rathdowne St and other major roads. End the “war on cars”. Move to make Queen Victoria Market trade seven days a week.

Councillor candidates: Retailer Sandra Gee and business owner Pratap Singh

FINAL PITCH: I do not expect to win. I am concerned about this election as it is a real shambles. I guess it has more to do with who I do not think should win. Most candidates have some merit. I do not support Doyle’s deputy Arron Wood, the Greens or Jamal Hakim. In review, I think Nick Reece is the preferred candidate. But he is the incumbent and faces the most challengers. I want to see the bike lanes reviewed and enforcement on a ban of skateboarders at the State Library. I would like to see the city’s boundaries reviewed and the structure of the council. Queen Victoria Market should trade seven days a week. End the war on cars.

Originally published as The lord mayor candidates’ policies and why they want your vote