Socialist Alliance is proud of its six-month campaign in the City of Greater Geelong wards of Corio and Hamlyn Heights.
Sarah Hathway’s primary vote rose to 19.27%. Coupled with the Greens’ primary vote in the same ward, the combined vote for progressive candidates was 25.4%.
This was all the more remarkable because Hathway was up against a large field of candidates, dominated by right-wing Labor and deputy mayor Anthony Aitken’s alliance with popular conservative Eddie Kontelj, from a neighbouring ward.
Hathway, who had been representing Windermere Ward for close to 15 months, told Green Left that she and the team “had done our best to get out in the community every Saturday and Sunday to speak with residents about the issues that are important to them”.
Socialist Alliance came third in that ward in 2020, with 15.81% of the primary vote. Hathway became a councillor for the northern suburbs of Geelong in June last year, after a councillor resigned.
Hathway used her 15 months on council to campaign for: council to take a position against genocide in Palestine; a community initiative for the first LGBTIQ Action Plan; retain land assets and partner with the state government to build public housing; opposing the proposal for a waste-to-energy incinerator in Lara; and revitalising public spaces.
“Despite being one voice, I was able to shift the discussion to what council is and is not doing, and what it could do,” Hathway said. “This included speaking out against council’s financial and political support for the local weapons manufacturing industry.”
The new single-member ward system meant it was always going to be hard for Socialist Alliance. But Hathway gave it a good shot, knocking on more than 3000 doors, or around 25% of households.
“We heard about the lack of services in the Norlane and Corio area. But even when concerns are reported, residents are then ignored — for years. We heard about residents not feeling safe in their own homes and the cost-of-living pressures.”
Angela Carr, who ran in Hamlyn Heights Ward, received 25.28% of the primary vote, coming in second to the incumbent who was re-elected. Combined with the Greens, progressive candidates received 34.61% of the primary vote.
However, the new team of councillors are more conservative, with five Liberal or former Liberal Party councillors being elected and another two whose voting record usually aligns with Liberal councillors.
Another elected councillor was affiliated with the Angry Victorians Party and the Australian Values Party, both of which focus on veterans’ rights.
Women’s representation has gone backwards from four to three, with one Labor, one Reason Party and an Independent being elected. Progressive independent Elise Wilkinson won Connewarre Ward by just three votes, after a recount brought that down from a margin of five.
In all but one instance where conservative male candidates were elected, progressive women candidates came in second, and not by long margins either.
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“While a number of progressive women have missed out this time around, the appetite for progressive answers is clearly there,” Hathway said.
“We need to watch the new council closely, turn up to its meetings and protest where necessary to counter far-right organisations’ attempts to grow.
“We also need to draw the links between the local campaigns for peace, on environment issues and other social justice issues.”
[Socialist Alliance Geelong has called a public meeting to discuss the next steps for progressive politics, on November 28, 5.30pm at The Aviary Café, 45 Robin Avenue, Norlane.]