On 6 April 2022, the Victorian Greens released a statement "in light of recent commentary by Leppert", saying the party "reject[s] any suggestion that trans rights should be up for debate".[7][8] Leppert described the party's statement as "highly tendentious and false".[9]
Leppert chose in March 2024 not to seek re-election after three terms as a councillor.[10]
Sally Capp resignation
On 28 March 2024, then-Lord Mayor Sally Capp announced that she would resign before the re-election.[11] She resigned as Lord Mayor on 1 July 2024, and was replaced by Deputy Lord Mayor Nicholas Reece.[12][13]
For the councillor election, group voting tickets (GVT) are used − a group registers a GVT before an election, and when a voter selects a group above-the-line on the ballot paper, their vote is distributed according to the registered GVT for that group.[15] Alternatively, a voter can number all boxes for individual candidates below-the-line.[14]
Individual candidates are not able to contest both the leadership team election and the councillor election.[16] This means that even if a group's leadership team candidates are unsuccessful, members of their councillor ticket can still be elected.[16]
Business vote
Businesses are given two votes in Melbourne City Council elections, the only LGA in Victoria where this is the case.[16] Property investors and business owners do not have to be Australian citizens to vote.[16][17]
At the 2020 election, the Melbourne City Council electoral roll was composed of 55.1% business and out-of-the-area property owners, with local residents making up the remaining 44.9%.[16]
The Labor Party officially launched their campaign on 28 August 2024, with Phil Reed as their lord mayoral candidate for the second election in a row and Virginia Wills as the deputy candidate.[21]
Regent Theatre sale
On 8 September 2024, Reece announced he wanted Melbourne City Council to sell its 51% share of the Regent Theatre if he was re-elected.[22] An urgent motion at a council meeting was tabled by councillor Jamal Hakim noting that council has "no intention or policy basis to sell the Regent theatre" was passed several days later with six votes in favour.[23]
The proposal to sell Regent Theatre has been opposed by Team Wood, Team Hakim and Labor.[24][25]
Candidates
After being sworn in as Lord Mayor of Melbourne, Reece confirmed he would seek re-election, although he would not be running as an endorsed Labor Party candidate.[26] He announced incumbent councillor Roshena Campbell, a Liberal Party member, as his running mate on 28 July.[27]
In February 2024, former senator Derryn Hinch announced he would run for Lord Mayor of Melbourne. However, one month later he withdrew, citing the costs of running a campaign.[29]
First-term councillor Jamal Hakim announced his candidacy on 2 August, with Australian Republic Movement co-chair Esther Anatolitis as his running mate.
^"Backroom Baz: Liberal Party candidate Angela Newhouse pops up at UK election". Herald Sun. Sunday Herald Sun. 7 July 2024. Retrieved 8 July 2024. Reece is of course life long Labor man, having been a former adviser to Steve Bracks and Julia Gillard and being Mayor is his first big step to the front and centre of the political stage
^"Our Team". teamhakim.com. 17 September 2024. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
^Royall, Ian (28 February 2024). "Derryn Hinch will contest election for Melbourne's Lord Mayor". Herald Sun. Archived from the original on 2 March 2024. His confirmed nomination came as pollster Gary Morgan declared he would also contest the mayoral election, pledging to expand the city's free tram zone.
^"Our People". teamwood.com. 17 September 2024. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
^"Olivia Ball". Australian Greens Victoria. Archived from the original on 2 May 2024. Retrieved 8 July 2024.
