Former AFL player Anthony Koutoufides has announced his candidacy for mayor of Melbourne, stating that his campaign is being self-funded by his team for the time being. He has not received any financial backing from political parties or business groups, but will be transparent if that changes. Koutoufides credited his inspiration for running to a friend, Khan, who he said was committed and motivated him to step outside his comfort zone to run for office. His primary policies include getting CBD-based employees back into the office at least four days a week and fast-tracking planning permit approvals for housing developments.
In terms of the work-from-home culture Koutoufides aims to address, he plans to work with the Allan government to push for this change. He also wants to strengthen the relationship with the Victorian government to expedite planning permits for developments within the City of Melbourne. Despite having two developers on his team, Koutoufides denies that he will solely advocate for property and business interests, stating that his team will be diverse. He also plans to make parking in the CBD easier and review the city’s bike lanes to improve traffic flow.
Khan, who is running for deputy mayor on Koutoufides’ ticket, has faced past breaches of integrity rules but Koutoufides is comfortable with his past. Khan has been convicted and fined for failing to disclose company interests while serving as a Labor councillor. Additionally, Liu, the first ethnically Chinese woman elected to the House of Representatives in 2019, is on Koutoufides’ ticket as a councillor. She stated that while she has stayed away from politics after losing her seat in 2022, she wants to help their team address local issues.
Koutoufides plans to address concerns about e-scooters and is open to allowing them back with the right safety measures in place. He also wants to improve traffic flow by potentially removing some bike lanes. Despite the Liberal Party not yet announcing its City of Melbourne ticket, Liu stated that she is a “quiet, low-key” member of the party but wants to focus on local issues without involvement in traditional politics. Ramani, a longtime Collingwood supporter and director of a property group, is also running as a councillor.
Koutoufides expressed his willingness to push boundaries and face challenges, drawing from his experiences in his football career and reality television. He emphasized the importance of pushing oneself out of their comfort zone to achieve goals. Overall, his candidacy for mayor of Melbourne, along with his diverse team members, aims to address various issues such as easing CBD congestion, fast-tracking housing developments, and improving local policies while maintaining transparency and integrity.
