Greens lag in progressive heartlands; Liberals are ‘teal-washed’ out of Boroondara

The Greens are lagging in their inner-Melbourne heartlands, while Liberals have been “wiped out” in a key conservative council in the city’s east by “teal”-type independents, early voting patterns for the local government elections show. Finalised results from Victoria’s council elections will not be entirely published by the Victorian Electoral Commission until November 15 – three weeks after the postal vote deadline. Boroondara deputy mayor Felicity Sinfield is the only Liberal left on Boroondara council.

Credit: Simon Schluter But since polls closed on October 25, The Age has obtained primary vote counts for a number of councils for group A, which is all votes received by the postal deadline, accounting for about 85 per cent of all votes cast statewide. Despite only preliminary results being available, there have already been clear shifts in some traditional left-wing and right-wing councils. Yarra council, which takes in Fitzroy, Richmond and Collingwood, was acknowledged as the country’s first Greens-dominated local council in 2020, with five of nine councillors from the party.



But the vote counts so far for this election show the minor party only has two candidates with any chance of re-election; incumbent mayor Edward Crossland and incumbent councillor Sophie Wade. From left: Yarra For All independent candidates Victoria Chipperfield, Michael Glynatsis, Stephen Jolly, Bridgid O’Brien, Peter Sprott, Eva Aston, Theresa Saldanha, Brielle Pope, Ken Gomez, Sharon Harrison and campaign chief of staff Catherine Mililli. Credit: Jason South A coalition of so-called independents who ran under the banner “Yarra For All”, spearheaded by long-time Yarra councillor and former Victorian Socialist member Stephen Jolly, ran an aggressive anti-Greens campaign, resulting in independents ahead in at least five of the nine wards.

It is too early to consider Crossland or Wade safe, with Crossland on 32 per cent of the primary vote being challenged by two Yarra For All candidates and Wade on 33 per cent under challenge from independents..