Former Carlton premiership player Anthony Koutoufides has ditched the Sherrin for a suit and tie and is running for Lord Mayor this October.
He is no stranger to stepping outside his comfort zone and while running for Lord Mayor has not been a longstanding dream, he is always seeking out ways to challenge himself.
Whether it was winning Dancing with Stars or the 1995 AFL premiership, Mr Koutoufides said “hard work, dedication and discipline” have been the words he has lived by throughout his illustrious career.
When reflecting on his time playing AFL, the Lord Mayoral candidate said he “changed the game” due to his versatility as a player and ability to play in every position despite his large build.
If sworn into Town Hall he wants to transfer his disciplined and versatile approach to the footy field to the council chambers, and he sees it as another opportunity to push himself and improve not only his character but the City of Melbourne.
Alongside the former Carlton great on the Team Kouta ticket are property developer Intaj Khan as candidate for Deputy Lord Mayor, and former federal Liberal MP Gladys Liu, and fellow commercial property developer Zaim Ramani as the two councillor candidates.
At the heart of Team Kouta’s campaign is a love for Melbourne according to Mr Koutoufides who is vowing to trial a range of measures to bring people back to the CBD, tighten rules for e-scooters and even run free outdoor fitness classes.
If elected in October, Mr Koutoufides will have a strong focus on bringing people back to the CBD for the first six months of his term due to traders suffering the consequence of high office vacancy rates and people working from home.
“Small businesses are leaving the city in concerning numbers and if we don’t act now, it will only get worse,” he said.
The City of Melbourne needs people back. We need action now and we need to provide incentives to get the city moving again before it is too late.
To combat this, the mayoral candidate has proposed a one-off grant of up to $5000 to be established for up to 1000 businesses that sign a new lease in the CBD in 2025.
Additionally, to bring people into the city, Mr Koutoufides has proposed that the council works with the state government and public transport operators to deliver subsidised public transport into the CBD one day a week.
He also plans to capitalise on Melbourne’s “love affair” with coffee by offering to buy workers in the city a free one, through a program similar to the voucher initiative that was offered after COVID-19 to bring people back to restaurants.
“Most Melburnians love coffee, and our cafes are renowned around the world for it. So, for those that make the effort to come into the CBD on a Monday, we’ll shout you a coffee,” he said.
As a part of Team Kouta’s plan to “bring life” back into the city, if he is elected tighter restrictions on e-scooters will be enforced through the implementation of designated depots.
“Similar to a bike rack, this will ensure e-scooter commuters know where to pick up and drop off their vehicles. And the technology is such that you cannot leave them outside of these designated areas without a financial penalty of up to $100,” he said.
Mr Koutoufides said there was a place for bikes and e-scooters in Melbourne, but a better balance was urgently needed to ensure businesses had adequate street parking for their customers to park for shorter periods and more cheaply.
To achieve this balance, Mr Koutoufides has also said that he would reduce the number of bike lanes as he believes that too many have been installed and taken away valuable parking spaces.
The MCG to Town Hall may not be a path walked by many, but Koutoufides is looking to draw on his experience in the big league to make Melbourne “happy” and “healthier” through free weekly exercise sessions in open spaces across the city.
“As technology impacts our lifestyles, we all have to remain able to exercise and move our bodies so our lives will remain healthy, so providing a free incentive to get people moving again can only have a positive benefit on our city,” he said.
It was only three months ago that Mr Koutoufides agreed to run for Lord Mayor after being approached last year but he is prepared to give it his all for the city that he loves.
“I want to make the most livable city in the world again and we need to bring back the vibrancy,” he said.