Stunning victory for SP in Yarra Council election

Residents

We still do not have the results for the Melba and Nichols Wards where we stood Denise Dudley and Anthony Main respectively.

However in Langridge Ward we had scrutineers at all the booths and at the postal and pre-poll counts and can therefore give exact figures (see below).

The results below show that we not only retained our spot on Council but massively increased our vote beating the Greens and ALP.

We came first with 29.9% of the vote, to the Greens No.1 candidate on 26.0% and the ALP No.1 candidate on 15.4%. My first preference vote when I was elected in 2004 was 12% - so this is a massive increase.

The politicial implications of the people of Collingwood, Fitzroy, Abbotsford, Clifton Hill, South Fairfield and Alphington voting for a SP Councillor ahead of the Greens and ALP and what comes next will be developed soon in a detailed report from the party. The matter will also be fully discussed at a public meeting this Thursday at Trades Hall (Lygon+Victoria Sts, Carlton South) from 7pm - please come along and bring your friends.

Suffice to say we are very thankful for all those individuals and unions who financed the campaign; the over 100 people who helped at the booths yesterday; the large number of comrades and supporters who doorknocked the entire ward and letterboxed 75,000 leaflets; the people who staffed the pre-polling booths for four weeks; and those voters who moved from Greens and ALP to us in such numbers.

One message is clear: the term 'socialism' and 'socialist party' in this historically influential part of Australia (this area was the heartland of the Victorian ALP and more recently the first place the Greens won a seat and then a Mayoralty) has been rebranded to be identified with fighters for public housing tenants, against dodgy developers, for childcare and kindergartens, for real action on the environment etc.



Prepoll Vote

Stone, A (Greens) 360

Mills, L (ALP) 77

Long, M (ALP) 31

Jolly, S (SP) 472 (31.5%)

Barbour, G (ALP) 448

McFeely (rightwing Independent) 53

Farrar, J (Green) 56



Postal Votes

Stone, A (Greens) 98

Mills, L (ALP) 33

Long, M (ALP) 41

Jolly, S (SP) 134 (26.9%)

Barbour, G (ALP) 52

McFeely (rightwing Independent) 22

Farrar, J (Green) 59



Collingwood Town Hall booth

Stone, A (Greens) 366

Mills, L (ALP) 89

Long, M (ALP) 33

Jolly, S (SP) 462 (30.9%)

Barbour, G (ALP) 301

McFeely (rightwing Independent) 116

Farrar, J (Green) 48



Spensley St PS booth in Clifton Hill

Stone, A (Greens) 68

Mills, L (ALP) 21

Long, M (ALP) 277

Jolly, S (SP) 446 (30.2%)

Barbour, G (ALP) 26

McFeely (rightwing Independent) 92

Farrar, J (Green) 542



Abbotsford PS booth

Stone, A (Greens) 169

Mills, L (ALP) 92

Long, M (ALP) 20

Jolly, S (SP) 132 (25.9%)

Barbour, G (ALP) 29

McFeely (rightwing Independent) 64

Farrar, J (Green) 21



Alphington PS

Stone, A (Greens) 272

Mills, L (ALP) 7

Long, M (ALP) 233

Jolly, S (SP) 266 (30.8%)

Barbour, G (ALP) 6

McFeely (rightwing Independent) 16

Farrar, J (Green) 63



Clifton Hill PS

Stone, A (Greens) 327

Mills, L (ALP) 24

Long, M (ALP) 45

Jolly, S (SP) 327 (32%)

Barbour, G (ALP) 153

McFeely (rightwing Independent) 56

Farrar, J (Green) 85



Gold St Childcare Centre

Stone, A (Greens) 176

Mills, L (ALP) 16

Long, M (ALP) 15

Jolly, S (SP) 168 (31%)

Barbour, G (ALP) 98

McFeely (rightwing Independent) 60

Farrar, J (Green) 12



Russian Orthodox Church Hall, Collingwood

Stone, A (Greens) 95

Mills, L (ALP) 36

Long, M (ALP) 4

Jolly, S (SP) 64 (22.9%)

Barbour, G (ALP) 16

McFeely (rightwing Independent) 43

Farrar, J (Green) 10



Total

Stone, A (Greens) 2,485 (26.0%)

Mills, L (ALP) 429 (4.4%)

Long, M (ALP) 727 (7.6%)

Jolly, S (SP) 2,857 (29.9%)

Barbour, G (ALP) 1,479 (15.4%)

McFeely (rightwing Independent) 609 (6.3%)

Farrar, J (Green) 958 (10%)