Lord Mayoral race split
Battle stations after Labor call
The race to be Melbourne’s next lord mayor shapes as a contest of two alliances.
One on side is Labor’s Phil Reed, the Greens and former deputy lord mayor Arron Wood; on the other is Lord Mayor Nick Reece, ex-AFL star Anthony Koutoufides, businessman Gary Morgan and Liberal Mariam Riza.
EXCLUSIVE
Ian Royall Angus McIntyre
The race to be Melbourne’s next lord mayor is shaping as a contest between two alliances.
One on side is Labor’s Phil Reed, the Greens and former deputy lord mayor Arron Wood; on the other is incumbent Lord Mayor Nick Reece, former champion Carlton footballer Anthony Koutoufides, businessman Gary Morgan and the Liberal candidate Mariam Riza.
The battle lines were drawn after Labor turned its back on Mr Reece, a party veteran, and instead backed in Mr Wood.
“In terms of policy and personnel, the Reece ticket cannot make any claim to be a progressive ticket or consistent with the views and values of the Labor Party,” Mr Reed said.
With no candidate likely to poll enough to win in their own right, and many expected to pick up at least 10 per cent of the vote, the election is likely to be decided on preference deals.
Mr Reece and Mr Wood are the favourites to pick up most votes, and therefore may benefit most from preferences.
Before moving into Melbourne Town Hall, Mr Reece had been state secretary of the Victorian Labor Party, and an adviser to former prime ministers Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard and former premiers Steve Bracks and John Brumby.
The controversial move of Mr Reed’s team to back Mr Wood over Mr Reece is expected to cause division in Labor circles, with one source already describing it as a “monumental betrayal”.
It also makes the contest an apparent choice between Labor, the Greens’ candidate Roxane Ingleton and Mr Wood, or Mr Reece, Koutoufides and the Liberals.
Labor has put the Voices for Melbourne residents’ group as its first preference.
Mr Reed said his Labor team would not sell council assets, a direct riposte to Mr Reece’s policy to sell the council’s 51 per cent stake in the Regent Theatre.
“We’re not going to privatise services, we’re going to support people and build the services and facilities that a community needs,” he said.
It is understood that frenzied preference negotiations lasted through Sunday and right up to the Monday noon deadline.
The Liberals and the Morgan ticket have put Koutoufides as their first preference.
Team Kouta’s deputy lord mayor candidate Intaj Khan said: “We are now extremely confident.
“Anthony Koutoufides is not a politician, we all know that, but he is a leader who will be fighting for Melbourne.”
The community-based Voices for Melbourne ticket has declared it will guide preferences to Team Wood, the Greens and Labor, ahead of Team Kouta, Team Reece and the Liberals.
Mr Morgan told the Herald Sun he was proud to put the Greens last.
“Wood, Labor and the Greens are trying to take control of the city council,” he said.
A spokesman for Team Nick Reece said its focus was on rate freezes, more support for traders and the cost of living.
“Other candidates appear to be more focused on other things,” he said.
The Victorian Electoral Commission will mail ballot packs to Melbourne residents and businesses from October 7. The deadline to vote for the new council is October 25.
ian.royall@news.com.au
Nick Reece
Mariam Riza
Anthony Koutoufides
Arron Wood
Roxane Ingleton
Phil Reed