Residents

You can vote early in Yarra City Council election this week, next week, and the week after Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm at Fitzroy Town Hall, Napier St.

You don't need ID - just tell the VEC officer your name and address and you will be OK to vote.

In the last week before the election (the week after next) you can also pre-poll at Collingwood Town Hall on Hoddle St.

You should pre-poll if you are away on election day or if you are helping staff our pre-poll booths so you don't have to waste time in a queue on the day.

If you want a postal vote, contact us now and we will organise for you.

If you can help on election day, Saturday 29th November, contact us now.

There will be the mother of all parties on election night, and all helpers get free pizza and (maybe!) a free drink.

Regards

Stephen Jolly (0433113421)

Here is the text of our latest election leaflet, contact us if you can help letterbox.



On November 29 elect campaigning Councillors for your community



Stephen Jolly, Langridge Ward

Denise Dudley, Melba Ward

Anthony Main, Nicholls Ward



Stephen Jolly, 46, lives in Clifton Hill and works in the construction industry. He has been the hardest working Councillor in Yarra since 2004 and a community campaigner in the area since the early 1990s.



Denise Dudley, 31, lives in Richmond and works as a nurse. She has been active in many community campaigns including leading the Community Campaign for Heroin Reform (CCHR).



Anthony Main, 32, lives in Carlton North and is the Secretary of the fast food and retail workers’ union, UNITE. He is also a founding member of the Yarra Campaign Against the Tunnel (YCAT).



Responsive. Active. Effective.



Unfortunately the record of Yarra Council is one of high rates, ridiculous charges such as permits for training in our parks, scrapping services like our six-monthly hard rubbish collection, and the continued privatisation of street cleaning.



Stephen Jolly from the Socialist Party has been the only councillor to oppose these policies pushed through by the ALP, Greens and Independents.

The changing economic situation is a real threat for the communities of Yarra – especially those on lower incomes.



It is now vital that we elect campaigning Councillors for our communities and get organised so that together we can fight to protect and improve this area.

The following are some of the policies the Socialist Party will pursue if elected.



Resident friendly planning



Yarra’s Planning Department too often treats major developers with kid gloves, yet puts residents wanting a minor renovation through the wringer.

We say put the needs of people and the community at the heart of planning.

This would mean restructuring the Planning Department so that it is faster, more resident friendly, and less bureaucratic.



We must insist that the necessary social and public services are provided before any new developments are completed. This way will will create living communities not soulless matchboxes like the Docklands.



Bring back hard rubbish



Last month the Green and ALP Councillors voted against returning the regular hard rubbish collection – only SP Councillor Stephen Jolly voted in favour.



To stop dumping in local areas and to stop the need for ratepayers to pay for private operators, we will organise a campaign for the return the six-monthly hard rubbish collection. We will also keep the current personalised service.



Improve children’s services



We demand emergency action by the council to ensure that the 1000 children currently on waiting lists for childcare and kindergardens are catered for.

Council must give a commitment to invest in new facilities to boost the number of places so that all children have a place. This is a vital social investment.



No to excessive rate rises



Rates in Yarra were already very high but the ALP and Greens have voted for annual rate rises equal to inflation plus 2.5%. With questionable revaluations these rises have often been higher.



Stephen Jolly has been the only Councillor to vote against these rises.

Yarra Council must not use the people of Yarra as cash cows, particularly now when living standards are already being undermined.



Support public housing



We will campaign for the council to redirect its youth workers onto the estates and to properly fund residents associations. This will give the associations much more autonomy. Healthy, safe public housing estates are good for all Yarra residents.



Real action on the environment



While the ALP and Greens do a lot of talking, the Socialist Party drove through the introduction of Green Waste and a Zero Emissions Policy.

More needs to be done, such as making builders adhere to the highest environmentally-friendly standards.



No to the east-west tunnel



The Socialist Party helped establish the Yarra Campaign Against the Tunnel (YCAT). We are opposed to spending more than $9 billion on a tunnel when public transport is lacking in many areas of Melbourne.



More sports facilities



We will propose and fight for an indoor sports centre in Yarra as well as investment in artificial fields to allow sport to continue in a time of drought.



The Socialist Party says:



Put the needs of ordinary people at the heart of Yarra Council policy.



No to cut backs as a result of economic crisis. Use resources for council and public investment in much needed public services and jobs.



Vote 1 for the Socialist Party candidates so we can fight to transform Yarra Council and begin to provide a real socialist alternative throughout Melbourne.



As none of the main parties, particularly Labor, can claim to represent the interests of the majority of people, it is time to establish a new workers party to represent ordinary people. Electing campaigning Councillors to the Yarra Council on November 29 will be a step in the right direction.



Want to help with our election campaign?



We need help door knocking, letter boxing, staffing the pre polling booths and on election day (November 29). We also need to raise money to pay for the campaign. If you can help in any way please contact the SP National Office on 9639 9111.



Want to contact our candidates?



Phone Stephen Jolly on 0433113421

Phone Denise Dudley on 0411352175

Phone Anthony Main on 0417368215



You can email them via the SP National Office info@socialistpartyaustralia.org



Also please visit the SP Yarra Council website at www.socialistpartyaustralia.org/council



Want to join or get more info about the Socialist Party?



Phone: 03 9639 9111

Email: info@socialistpartyaustralia.org

Web: www.socialistpartyaustralia.org

Post: PO BOX 1015 Collingwood Victoria 3066

Visit: Trades Hall, Level 1, 54 Victoria Street Carlton South



Authorised by Antony Alder, 54 Victoria St, Carlton South

Printed by Arena Publishing, 2 Kerr St, Fitzroy on

100% post-consumer recycled paper

Dear Residents

There is a pre-polling booth for the Council election on Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm at Fitzroy Town Hall, Napier St entrance. Can you help staff this booth? It frees up the candidates and others to do doorknocking and it is important to boost our vote. So far we have staffed it 100% of time (as have the ALP, but not the Greens).

Please ring 0433113421 or email if you can help - just tell us days and times you can do.

Regards

Steve

Residents

The election campaign is in full swing and going very well. However we are still short on the amount needed to cover our printing and other election costs.

If you can make a donation, however small or big, please email us now, ring 96399111 or just post to SP Council election account, PO Box 1015, Collingwood 3066. All donations are tax deductable.

Many thanks if you can help.

Stephen Jolly

Residents

We have been staffing the prepolling booth at Fitzroy Town Hall, every weekday from 9am to 5pm. A steadily increasing number of voters have taken the opportunity to vote and, so far, we feel we have been going well.

Can you help at this pre-polling booth? If you help here, and/or on election day itself, Saturday November 29th, email us or ring 96399111.

Our election posters are out now, so contact us if you want one for your window.

Every night we have teams out doorknocking - with special emphasis on Wednesday nights and Saturday afternoons.

On Wednesdays we meet up at 6.30pm at the Napier Hotel, Napier/Moor Sts, Fitzroy to go doorknocking and on Saturdays we meet at the Fitzroy Library, Moor St, Fitzroy for a branch meeting at 11am to 12.30pm (open to all - this week it is a discussion on the US Presidential election), followed by doorknocking. After the election the Melbourne branch of SP will move its branch meetings back to Trades Hall on Wednesdays at 7pm.

Let us know if you want to join in this frontline work. Again, the response has been good.

The FitzRoyalty blog has been supportive of our campaign. See:

http://indolentdandy.net/fitzroyalty/2008/11/01/socialist-party-city-of-yarra-election-campaign-launch/

Last Wednesday night, Channel 31 had a half hour show on our election launch held at the Old Colonial Inn on October 11th. See: http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=DAi4f5xlXGY

If you haven't yet seen our YouTube comedy and serious clips, check out: http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=hPbvuxxWrd8

Thanks to all those who have helped our campaign so far, including Prof Miles Lewis who donated $200 cash on Saturday.

We are still $5000 short in our election funds, so contact us if you can make a contribution.

Regards

Stephen Jolly

Residents,

Our Council election campaign is going great guns.

Last night we had the election launch on Channel 31 and the feedback from potential voters is very good so far.

This Saturday, 1st November, we are asking your help. This Saturday come to our election stall at 12 noon outside Safeways, Smith St, Collingwood. From 1pm join us in doorknocking local residents. Ring 96399111 for more information.

Regards

Steve

Residents

From tomorrow, Wednesday 29th October, you can vote early (but not often!) at the Fitzroy Town Hall, Napier St entrance. The main voting day is Saturday 29th November.

Can you help us staff this pre-polling booth. It's from 9am to 5pm, and up to 8pm on Thursdays.

Email back now or ring 0433113421 if you can do a stint.

Regards

Steve

Residents

Here is link to first YouTube clip on our Council election launch. It was produced by Lucas Henry, an Abbotsford resident who, while not a member of SP, has helped us greatly in election time.

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=DAi4f5xlXGY&feature=related

The rest of the clips will be uploaded next week and I will send you the links then.

Regards

Stephen Jolly



By the way, we have uploaded a new copy of the Corinne Grant/Ska TV YouTube clips, with the comedy one shown first.

Check it out at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPbvuxxWrd8

Introduction

Last night was the second last Council meeting of the year.



No-one really yet knows if how the ALP and Greens are going to preference SP.



It would be totally unprincipled for the Greens to put the ALP – the party of private roads, under funded public transport and privatisation – ahead of SP, the most progressive party in the area. The Greens have big decisions to make in the coming days.



What this shows is that we have been doing a good job and in the process exposing the weaknesses of the ALP and Greens on Council. No matter how the preferences fall we need all of our supporters in the community to assist us to increase my vote. We also need to mobilise for a good vote for our other candidates – Denise Dudley in Melba and Anthony Main in Nicholls.



Last night’s vote on Edinburgh Gardens

About 50 residents attended the Council meeting at Richmond Town Hall last night.

The Council voted 5-4 in favour of putting out an “option” (read preferred option) for a new North Fitzroy library on the grounds of Edinburgh Gardens.



I voted with the Greens but we lost to the ALP and the two independents. I argued that the easy bit was mobilising against a library on the park. However, we do need a new library in this area.



The Greens and ALP have done nothing to find a decent site for this library and now, in desperation, a minority of locals have backed the cynical ALP campaign to wedge the SP and Greens by fighting for a library in the park.



It is quite clear from the two opposing petitions tabled last night that the anti-‘library in the park’ position is the dominant view amongst residents. However we need to find a venue somewhere else otherwise this push will keep coming back – each time with more support.



I suggested the Greens support a pledge to buy or lease a suitable site in next year’s budget. They fudged around on this one and therefore it will become an election issue and be revisited by the new Council.



The Greens must walk the walk, as well as talk the talk on this. The reason some people support a library in the park is out of desperation – and this desperation is being cynically exploited by the ALP.



The Greens effectively ran the Council from 2002 to 2004 and didn’t get a new site. Since 2004 the ALP and Greens have see-sawed in their control of Council and, again, there was no site found or even looked for.



SP is pushing hard to finish off this debate, by finding – in next years budget – a good site.



Hard Rubbish

Council rejected a residents’ push to bring back the six-monthly hard rubbish collection. Council voted 8-1 (I was the one) against bringing back the six-monthly hard rubbish collection, thus ignoring hundreds of signatures on our petition.



This outrageous and haughty decision will come to haunt the Greens and ALP in this election. SP pledges to keep fighting to get our hard rubbish collection returned. We pay close to the highest rates in Victoria and Council cannot see its way to give residents a six-monthly collection. The fight will continue.



Victoria Park – progress at last

In 2005 Abbotsford residents and Council agreed on a plan for the future of Victoria Park, Collingwood Football Club’s old ground, which in a nutshell would open up grounds to the public by way of taking down some of walls. Objections from some non-Yarra residents were made to Heritage Victoria who have leisurely sat on the issue for the past three years.



Last night I successfully moved a compromise position that will probably get Heritage Victoria’s approval. Hopefully this means we can start opening up this historic site to the public very soon.



State government’s anti-democratic move slammed

Council voted unanimously against the attempts by the Brumby government (and introduced directly by local member and Minister of Local Government, Richard Wynne) to stop Councillors talking or voting on an item they previously lobbied Council.



For example a Green Councillor could not talk about the environment, an ALP Councillor could not talk about a property issue, or a SP Councillor could not talk about anything.



Council election soon

Voting starts next week at the pre polling booth at Fitzroy Town Hall. Please let us know if you can door knock your area, put a poster on your window, letterbox, help on a pre-polling booth or on election day, Saturday November29.



Ring me directly on 0433113421 if you can help or email us now.

Residents

1. You are invited to join with us as we doorknock local residents about the upcoming Council election. Every Saturday afternoon we have a mass canvass and on most afternoons and early evenings a few people are out and about.

If you can help ring Stephen Jolly on 0433113421.

2. Our election poster is out later this week. If you want one or more for you window, garden or business contact us now.

Residents

The Age today reports on Yarra Council's proposed permit system for personal trainers. It quotes me slamming the decision.



http://www.theage.com.au/national/1000-fee-has-mums-up-in-arms-20081019-53zs.html?page=-1

Residents

This Saturday we invite you to help us electioneering.

1. From 12 noon to 1pm at our weekly stall outside Safeway, 243 Smith St, Collingwood.

2. From 1pm to 2pm, coffee at Kent St cafe, 201 Smith St for strategy chat

3. From 2pm onwards, doorknocking residents seeking their support to re-elect Stephen Jolly in Langridge Ward.

Come along if you can.

Residents

Here is the YouTube link to the three mini-videos on our election campaign, all produced by Corinne Grant.

The first is serious, then a comedy and finally a message from Corinne Grant.

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=pxZZcy9I0jc

The were premiered on Saturday night at our election launch. Over 100 people packed into a Fitzroy pub to hear speechs, watch the videos, and have a good night. We raised over $600 cash for our campaign and many people volunteered to help.

The speeches from the night will be also on YouTube soon and I will send you the link later this week.

Regards

Stephen

If you want to help the campaign, email back in or ring me on 0433113421