The following people have nominated. Existing Councillors seeking re-election are marked with an asterisk before their name, ordered alphabetically based on Last name. Political affiliation is in brackets.

• Jordan Armaou-Massoud (Socialist Alliance)
• Jason Clarke (Independant) Facebook
• Ruby Healer (Victorian Socialists)
• *Angelica Panopoulos (Greens) Instagram
• Helen Politis (ALP) Instagram
• Stephen Schembri (Independent)

Candidates Forum | Climate Survey | Stop Burning Plastic | Streets People Love | Waterways

Climate and Sustainability surveys and Pledges

Climate Action Merribek conducted a local tailored survey sent to all 55 candidates in all wards. Vote Climate also issued a survey on the Climate Emergency to all candidates across all Councils in Victoria. Stop Burning Plastic issued a pledge survey to all candidates across all Councils in Victoria. We undertook to compile results for Merri-bek of all 3 surveys. We followed our initial email up with a reminder to complete all 3 surveys.

One key assessment point is whether candidates respond, which provides one indicator how they may engage with constituents. If a candidate doesn’t respond, whether positive or negative, maybe you should not put them high on your preferences.

Name	Local Climate Survey	Climate Emergency Survey	Stop Burning Plastics Pledge
Jordan Armaou-Massoud (Socialist Alliance)	No Response	No Response	No response
Jason Clarke (IND)	No Response	No Response	No Response
Ruby Healer (Victorian Socialists)	No Response	No Response	No Response
*Angelica Panopoulos (Greens)	Yes Full Response	Yes	Yes
Helen Politis (ALP)	Yes Full Response	Yes	Yes
Stephen Schembri (Independent)	No Response	No Response	No Response

Merri-bek Climate Survey

Q4. Connections to Merri-bek Wards. Outline your connection to Merri-bek, do you live in the ward you are contesting, do you work in that ward? What are your other connections to the Merri-bek community?

Angelica Panopoulos: I’m a lifelong Merri-bek local, have grown up here and have spent the past four years proudly representing this community on Council as both Mayor and Councillor.

Helen Politis: I’m lifelong Merri-bek resident, daughter of Greek immigrants, mother, carer, and local small business owner. I’m deeply invested in our community’s future. I’m a life member of Coburg Little Athletics and a member of the Lefkadian Club on Bell St, Coburg in my ward.

Q5. Climate Emergency. Merri-bek Council declared a Climate Emergency in September 2018. Do you accept the research evidence from climate scientists and the UN Secretary General that:
(a) the earth is already too hot and we are outside the safe climate zone?
(b) we face a climate emergency?
(c) local cooling is required to prevent runaway warming?

Angelica Panopoulos: Yes, Yes, Yes

Helen Politis: Yes, Yes, Yes

Q6. Governance and Triple bottom line accounting brings to account three domains that we need for a good life. They are economic, social and environmental sustainability. In the past projects have been delivered based on organisational silos often not considering other aspects outside the silo. Will you endeavour as a Councillor for Council to use triple bottom line accounting on all Council infrastructure decisions to ensure that climate emergency priorities are embedded in Council decisions? Note that triple bottom line is already encapsulated in the Local Government Act 2020 Section 9, 2b and 2c for good Council governance.

Angelica Panopoulos: Yes

Helen Politis: Yes

Q7: Transport: Upfield Rail Upgrade – Problems with parking and traffic congestion, capacity issues of public transport need solutions for upgrading the Upfield Line. According to Infrastructure Australia, the northern region Transport Corridor will reach and exceed capacity in the next decade. Do you support the Northern Councils Alliance campaign to Connect Melbourne’s North for duplication and extension of the Upfield rail line to Craigieburn and Wallan for provision of a more reliable and frequent rail service catering for the growing population in Merri-bek and residents in new growth suburbs further north?

Angelica Panopoulos: Strongly Agree

Helen Politis: Strongly Agree

Q8: Transport: Mode shift – What actions will you be pushing for to facilitate a mode shift to more sustainable modes of transport in Merri-bek as part of, or beyond, Moving Around Merri-bek Strategy (PDF), including increasing safety for walking and cycling and increasing public transport advocacy?

Angelica Panopoulos: As a current Greens Councillor, I’m proud to be part of a Greens team on Council that’s consistently voted to make it safer, easier and more enjoyable for people to walk, ride and catch public transport. This has been through defending and strengthening transport strategies, voting in favour of active transport projects, strong public transport advocacy (on bus timetabling & frequency, Upfield line, LXRP, accessible tram stops) and securing significant budget increases towards bike and pedestrian spending.

Helen Politis: I will be a strong advocate for real time tracking of bus services and I will for better bus services based upon the 2022 Victorian Bus Network Reform in the Northern Suburbs. Buses Merri-bek are an under-utilised mode of transport and I want to be part of increasing local uptake.
On top I’ll be of this I’ll always of initiatives to promote active transport which will help ease congestion and reduce the competition for car parking spaces.

Q9. Heat Vulnerability: Large sections of Merri-bek’s north are at the extreme end of the Heat Vulnerability Index, meaning residents are very susceptible to global warming extreme heat events. What will you do to address this beyond exisiting policies, including Merri-bek Urban Heat Island Effect Action Plan (PDF), Merri-bek Urban Forest Strategy 2017-2017 (PDF), Cooling the Upfield Corridor Action Plan 2018-2028 (PDF)?

Angelica Panopoulos: Merri-bek Council’s existing strategies to combat extreme heat are incredibly valuable tools and resources. What is needed is for them to be fully funded to ensure maximum benefit for communities most at risk. There is potential for further work to help homeowners and renters to keep their homes cool by expanding programs like solar savers (assisting low income households to install solar panels and insulation) and workshops on making rentals climate friendly.
As a current Councillor, I am incredibly proud to have championed practically doubling Merri-bek’s tree planting budget, however the allocation towards meeting and exceeding our urban forest goals can always be increased. Planting trees that grow into creating canopy cover are one of the best defences we have against increasing temperatures.

Helen Politis: I will encourage the expansion of tree canopies and advocate for more green spaces.

Q10. Waste Management. Merri-bek aims to be a leading council in sustainable waste management. What will you do to help Merri-bek in educating citizens on waste streams , to achieve Merri-bek’s 2030 zero waste to landfill target as part of Zero Carbon in the Planning Scheme – ESD Policy v2.0?

Angelica Panopoulos: Having been part of Council’s most recent waste reforms as a current Councillor, I remain committed to Merri-bek’s 2030 target of zero waste to landfill. Now that the food and organics bin has been universally rolled out, we will see a reduction in the amount of food and organics waste going into landfill.
One area for continual improvement is in the contamination of the yellow recycling bin. This may require a further education campaign to ensure people know what to put in each particular bin.
There is also a role for Council to play in advocacy around both manufacturer and consumer choices, especially in relation to soft plastics.

Helen Politis: I have a strong history of engaging with non-English speaking communities. I strongly believe in bringing the community with us rather than lecturing people on what to do. I will my experience and connections in the community to increase uptake of waste streams. Unlike some “progressive” councillors, I will ensure essential services like the former Moreland Energy Foundation are not privatised by council, which occurred in 2022. See https://brunswickvoice.com.au/energy-foundation-a-loss-to-moreland-community/

Q11. Energy Efficiency and Renewables. Merri-bek has a goal of “Efficient and 100% renewably powered energy”. How can Merri-bek “walk the talk” on renewable energy and meet the community goals set in the Zero Carbon Merri-bek – Climate Emergency Action Plan 2020/21 – 2024/25 (PDF)?

Angelica Panopoulos: This really would just be continuing the existing work of Council, but with an increased budget allocation. Increasing budget allocation is something that I’ve consistently fought for on Council as an elected Councillor.
The biggest thing here is getting all of Council’s aquatic and leisure centres off gas and onto renewable energy. Greens on Council successfully ensured that the Fawkner Leisure Centre would be gas-free in its recent upgrade, but now is the time to address Council’s other aquatic and leisure centres.

Helen Politis: I will advocate for the use of solar on council buildings.
I advocate for more EV infrastucture in the municipality.
I will advocate to shift from gas appliances at end of life to electric. And support an increase to green canopy in the area.

Q12. Supporting business and the environment. What actions will you take to help the Council promote environmentally sustainable jobs in the municipality and for businesses to reduce emissions in their operations?

Angelica Panopoulos: This would involve continuing to support the programs within Zero Carbon Merri-bek that support businesses with recycling, reusing, waste minimisation and energy efficiency.

Helen Politis: Council should have officers dedicated to assisting businesses transition to more sustainable practices. The Moreland Foundation, which was privatized under the watch of The Greens this term of council was essential in supporting such as this.

Q13. Food Security. How would you build community resilience and address food security in Merri-bek beyond the existing Merri-bek Food System Strategy 2024 – 2027 (PDF)? How do you think Council could further support culturally relevant and nutritionally rich food to diverse and vulnerable communities?

Angelica Panopoulos: The Food System Strategy is only in the first year of its current iteration and so needs time to progress. This strategy really is groundbreaking for a Council and recognises the complex intersections of climate change, socio-economic status, community resilience and food security. Continuing to support local community gardens, food swaps and granting access to commercial kitchens at low or no cost are some ways that Council can support this access to culturally relevant and nutritionally rich food.

Helen Politis: I will encourage “urban farming” and community food gardens. As member of the culturally and linguistically diverse community, I know the importance of the availability of culturally food and see a huge opportunity in our incredibly diverse municipality to share knowledge and information in gardening practices.

Q14. Buildings, Biodiversity and Urban cooling: What would you do as a Councillor to ensure that with new building developments, Merri-bek residents have protection from overshadowing existing solar PV systems, and that Merri-bek has sufficient vegetation cover to contribute to biodiversity outcomes, urban cooling, and water sensitive urban design beyond existing policies in the Urban Forest Strategy (PDF), Merri-bek Nature Plan, and the Achieving Zero Carbon in the Planning Scheme – ESD Policy v2.0?

Angelica Panopoulos: As with many of these questions, the policies and fundamental principles are in place – but more funding is needed to fully realise their potential.
Regarding planning, many of the controls are out of Council’s hands and are subject to the approval of the state Planning Minister. This is most evident in the Elevating ESD in the Planning Scheme Amendment that has been sitting on the Minister’s desk for many months now, resulting in multiple Councils not being able to enforce higher environmental standards in new builds.
As per Merri-bek Council’s existing policies and guidelines, where there is an application that overshadows existing solar panels, the applicant can be encouraged to change their design, contribute to the supply of new panels or relocate the existing panels.

Helen Politis: I will ensure all of these considerations are factored into any design decision of council. I will be a vocal advocate towards ensuring that buildings are sustainable and include all these features.

Q15. What are your top four priorities for the Council Plan, to be formulated for 2025-2029.

Angelica Panopoulos:
1. Central Coburg Revitalisation – a new library, social housing & green and open space
2. Foster a climate resilient city
3. Drastically increase cooling through tree planting and maintenance
4. Rapid expansion in walking and cycling infrastructure

Helen Politis:
1. Coburg Revitalisation
2. Funding essential services like aged care and childcare
3. More parks and green spaces (including increased tree canopy coverage)
4. Cleaner streets and more effective waste management

Q16. Democracy and representation: advocacy to State Government on multi-member wards versus single member wards. The state government has imposed single-member wards on Merri-bek against the recommendation of the council, the Local Government Association of Victoria, and even the Victorian Electoral Commission. This shift in electoral structure is an imposition by the parliament, not a choice of experts.

Do you support or oppose single-member wards?

If (re)-elected will you initiate and/or support measures to pressure the state government to return to multi-member wards?

Angelica Panopoulos: Oppose single member wards, support initiatives for multi-member wards

Helen Politis: Support single member wards, oppose initiatives for multi-member wards

Q17. Do you have any other comments on Climate Leadership and Advocacy by Council? Do you have any supplementary comments relating to the questions above, comments on other issues related to climate resilience and climate adaptation, or comments on making decisions for the whole municipality?

Angelica Panopoulos: Skipped.

Helen Politis: Skipped

Stop Burning Plastic Pledge

The Stop Burning Plastic pledge not to burn waste. Merri-bek already has a Council policy not to use Waste to Energy Incinerators and to progress to zero waste to landfill by 2030. (see section 4.6.3 of Council Waste and Litter Strategy 2018) . Cleanaway is presently proceeding with an EPA Victoria development licence for a Waste to Energy Incinerator at Wollert. Signing this pledge commits to continuing present Council policy direction regarding sustainable circular economy waste management. Note: A week ago Minister for Climate Action and Energy Lily D’Ambrosio (Mill Park), Thomastown MP Bronwyn Halfpenny and Yan Yean MP Lauren Kathage supported the community in opposing Cleanaway’s Waste to Energy Incinerator. (Facebook Post) This is a statewide pledge:

Two Harmony Park candidates have taken this pledge: Angelica Panopoulos and Helen Politis.

Streets People Love Candidate Scorecard

The Streets People Love campaign has created scorecards for candidates in the 2024 council elections in Victoria. Scorecards have been generated based on a candidate’s engagement with the Streets People Love campaign, their commitment to our pledge, their responses to a survey and input from campaign members located in the local government area in which they are running. The local community groups running this scorecard in the City of Merri-bek are Walk on Merri-bek and Merri-bek Bicycle Users Group Inc.

Streets People Love Harmony Park ward candidate Scorecard .

Waterways – Vote for Merri Creek

Friends of Merri Creek have surveyed candidates in all wards. The Merri Creek corridor is iconic and questions of sustainability, pollution and biodiversity should be a municipal wide concern to all candidates. The survey is focussed on Merri Creek, Edgars Creek and Coburg Lake, and neglects Merlynston Creek and Campbellfield Creek tributaries. It also ignores the importance of Moonee Ponds Creek and tributaries such as Westbreen Creek on the western side of the municipality, which may provide a reason why candidates from western wards like Djirri-Djirri and Pascoe Vale South did not respond to the survey.

See Friends of Merri Creek 2024 election guide for six Councils in the Merri Creek Catchment.

View the Candidate responses for Merri-bek wards (PDF) for candidate comments.

Q1: Are you concerned about the protection and restoration of the Merri Creek, Edgars Creek and Coburg Lake? If so, what concerns you the most? (100 word limit)

Q2: What action do you plan to take in your role as Councillor – if any – to increase waterway protection and restoration activities along the Merri Creek, Edgars Creek and Coburg Lake? (100 word limit)

Q3: Briefly outline how as a Councillor, you will respond to three of the following threats to the health of the Merri Creek, Edgars Creek and Coburg Lake: (75 word limit per threat)

• Development encroachment
• Pollution, litter and sediments carried by stormwater drains
• Illegal dumping and littering
• Spread of problematic weeds
• Loss, degradation and reduced connectivity of habitat
• Irresponsible pet ownership

References

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