Member for Northern Metropolitan and Leader of the Reason Party, Fiona Patten MP, has backed a group of candidates for council elections in Victoria that she hopes will see the party extend its reach from state parliament to local government.
“We are running a targeted campaign in a select group of wards where we believe we can make a difference,” said Ms Patten. “Yarra, Moreland, Darebin and Glen Eira councils could all do with a dose of Reason.
“Six of the seven wards we are running in are within my own electorate of Northern Metropolitan. I am involved with the issues facing many of these communities personally and having Reason Party members on council means we can help people at a far more intimate, grass-roots level.
“I am extremely excited by the quality of our candidates and the depth of the policy initiatives of our team,” Ms Patten said. “It is one of the best group of candidates we have put together for any election. Every one of them would make a great councillor.”
Under the slogan Community, Commitment, Compassion The Reason Party is running a team of three looking to take seats on the Yarra Council – Guy Barker (Nicholls ward), Jeremy Cowen (Langridge ward) and Penelope Drummond (Melba ward); Moreland Council candidates are Rachel Payne (South ward) and Margee Glover (North East ward); for Darebin Council the party is running Carmen Lahiff-Jenkins (North West ward); and for Glen Eira Council, Ethan Mileikowski (Camden ward) will contest for the party.
The policy issues from the group are wide-ranging. New green spaces, opposing council owned aged-care home sell offs, tackling the loneliness epidemic, youth engagement, recycling, LGBTIQ rights, and health facility upgrades are just a few of the topics the party candidates are tackling.
The revitalisation of community newspapers is also a major policy area that Reason Council candidates are promoting in their campaign, particularly in the Moreland and Darebin areas.
“Councils need to fund the start-up of free, community newspapers to replace our lost essential services,” says Darebin North West ward candidate Carmen Lahiff-Jenkins. “Local news and information is so important.”
“I urge everyone to have their say on who represents them at a local level and would encourage anyone who has a Reason representative in their area to consider giving kindness your Number 1 and electing our candidate,” said Ms Patten.
Postal voting for council elections closes this Friday the 23rd of October.
More information on Reason Party council candidates can be found at www.reason.org.au.
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