This October, Victorians will vote by post in local council elections.
Making it easier for people of all ages and abilities to ride or walk is one of the key ways to build liveable, sustainable and resilient communities full of healthy and happy people. Local governments have an important role to play when it comes to creating people-friendly streets that support active transport. One of the key functions of a council is to support community well-being and development, transport infrastructure and opportunities for recreation. The upcoming Victorian Council elections present an opportunity to elect candidates that support initiative and improvements that encourage bike riding and walking. It’s more critical than ever that councils prioritise active transport and recreation as a way to manage the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic recovery of local businesses. This October, we want to see the election of councillors that support liveable, safe and people-friendly streets. Nearly all bike trips, whether for transport or recreation, start on local residential streets. Below are just some of the ways your council can help make it easier to ride a bike: From groups of kids pedalling in parks or playing on local streets, to families and people of all ages riding the paths and trails in our neighbourhoods – there are some positives that we’d like to see stick around post lockdown. Don’t wait to be contacted. If you’ve got a strong position on bikes, send us your responses to the questions listed and we’ll publish them on our website. There are more than 70 councils going to the polls this Victorian Council Election. We’re calling on our members, friends, BUGs and local organisations to get involved. Reach out to your local candidates and ask them how they plan to make your local streets more vibrant, liveable and bike friendly. If you’ve got a local infrastructure project, road, speed limit or initiative you’d like to see the council support, it’s worth raising that too. If you get a response, send it to us via our website and we’ll post them publicly on this website. We’ll receive statements up until Tuesday 6 October, 2020. To find your candidates or information about your local council visit the Victorian Electoral Commission website. Please note: All councils will have elections except Casey City Council, South Gippsland Shire Council and Whittlesea City Council. As we start to receive candidate responses outlining their positions on bikes, we’ll post them here, unedited. Bicycle Network would like to thank Boroondara BUG, Darebin BUG, Hume City BUG, Moreland BUG, Port Phillip BUG, Glen Eira BUG, BrimBUG, MeBUG and all Bicycle Network members who actively pursued local candidate statements. We’ll be accepting candidate statements up until 5pm, Tuesday 6 October. The following candidate responses have been received: Bass Coast community members have contacted candidates and responses have so far been received from candidates in the Island and Western Port wards. Island Ward Western Port Ward Boroondara BUG have surveyed candidates and are sharing the candidate’s responses with Bicycle Network. Below are the responses we’ve received so far: Bellevue Ward: Cotham Ward: Gardiner Ward: Glenferrie Ward: Junction Ward: Maling Ward: Maranoa Ward: Riversdale Ward: Solway Ward: Studley Ward: BrimBUG have surveyed candidates and shared the responses with Bicycle Network. Below are the responses we’ve received so far: Grasslands Ward: Harvester Ward Horseshoe Bend Ward Taylors Ward Darebin BUG have surveyed candidates and are sharing the candidate’s responses with Bicycle Network. Below are the responses we’ve received so far: Glen Eira BUG have surveyed all candidates and shared the following responses with Bicycle Network. Camden Ward: Rosstown Ward: Tucker Ward: Hume City Bicycle User Group have surveyed candidates and are sharing the responses with Bicycle Network. Aitken Ward: Jacksons Creek: Meadow Valley Ward: Bicycle Network has received responses from Melbourne City Council leadership team and councillor candidates. Leadership team Councillors Bike Melbourne have also written up their review of candidates positions on bikes. You can read it here. Responses received: Moreland BUG have surveyed candidates and are sharing the responses with Bicycle Network. Below are the responses received so far: North East Ward North West Ward South Ward Responses received: Port Phillip BUG have looked at the bike-related policies and actions of the candidates, both incumbent and new. See their summary and ratings here. All candidates in Port Phillip were also contacted by Bicycle Network. Below are the responses we’ve received so far: Metro East BUG (MeBUG) have reached out to candidates in Whitehorse and published the responses on their website. All candidates at Yarra have been contacted by Bicycle Network. We’ve received the following responses so far:
As our communities continue to grow and adapt to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, the role of our local streets is changing.
Making it easier to ride in your local community
No one knows your community better than you.
You know what your community needs.
Now’s the time to ask your candidates where they stand on issues that are important to you.
HOW CAN YOU HELP?
Are you a local candidate up for election?
Here are some questions to ask your candidates:
KEY DATES
Wednesday 23 September – Lodgement of candidate statements close
Council election candidates - responses
Ballarat City Council
Candidate statements
Bass Coast Shire Council
Candidate responses
Boroondara City Council
Canididate responses
Brimbank City Council
Candidate statements
Darebin Council
Candidate responses
Glen Eira City Council
Candidate Responses
Hume City Council
Candidate statements
Melbourne City Council
Monash Council
Candidate responses
Moreland Council
Candidate Statements
Candidate statements
Candidate statements
Nillumbik Council
Candidate responses
Port Phillip City Council
Candidate Responses
Whitehorse City Council
Yarra City Council
Candidate statements
