Montague Ward

This post has been updated

Montague was the name given to one of the nine wards after the Victorian Electoral Commission Review into Port Phillip’s electoral structure.

Naming is often used to acknowledge some aspect of local history or place identity.

In this case, the name Montague only confuses. The ward not only includes Montague but also the Wirraway and Sandridge precincts of Fishermans Bend, as well as some of the most established areas in Port and South Melbourne and Bay St north of Liardet St.

The Montague Ward is possibly the most challenging and complex of the nine wards in Port Phillip. While the ward is geographically the largest it has the smallest number of voters – 7316 in 2024. It is home to many communities, rather than one homogenous community.

It is undoubtedly the ward in Port Phillip that will continue to experience the most rapid change.

Since no candidate forum has been held in Montague, these observations are made from candidates’ authorised material.

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Alex Makin has experience as a former Councillor and Mayor of the City of Maroondah. This experience equips him to tackle the challenges of the Montague ward. Makin is across the priority issues for Fishermans Bend. He will advocate for the public transport infrastructure that is needed to realise Fishermans Bend potential. He will attempt to balance increased development with respecting urban character. He loves dogs, and has campaigned for more off leash dog areas.

Peter Martin (ALP) was principal of Port Melbourne Primary School. J L Murphy Reserve, as he puts it, is ‘his spiritual home’ where his dedication to community football is unquestioned. As an incumbent councillor, Martin has a sound understanding of the Fishermans Bend Framework (2018) and how to get the most out of it for present and future communities.

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After being elected, these disparate candidates across Port Phillip with different views will become the Council. One of their first tasks, with our, the community’s input, will be to prepare a Council Plan for the four year term.

When local governments were amalgamated in 1992, a corporate model was adopted. The Council (Board) was to set the strategic direction of the Council, which is implemented by the Chief Executive Officer and the administrative arm of Council. Performance indicators are set and reported against a state wide framework.

Of course, local government is not so neat, or so straightforward.

This week, the CEO of the City of Port Phillip, Chris Carroll, presented the Annual Report at the conclusion of this 2020 to 2024 council term. The Report shows the range and complexity of council services and the indicators for reporting on them.

It is probably worth remembering at this stage of the local government election campaign that local government is highly regulated. It doesn’t have the degree of autonomy that some candidates and voters imagine.

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This is the first time, as I am aware, that dogs have assumed such a central place in an election with dogs appearing in campaign material and campaign commitments.

Whereas dogs are clearly a way in to the heart of many electors in Montague, the issues in this ward are very complex. An ability to work constructively with the state government to deliver the Fishermans Bend Framework will be essential to achieve the most positive outcomes for the future.

Views differ as to whether the Council is St Kilda centric, but the councillor for Montague will need to be effective in bringing their colleagues on board with the importance of the work to be done to shape the future of Fishermans Bend.

No doubt Port Melbourne and Montague candidates awaiting the outcome of the election will attend Port Melbourne’s annual Howl-o-Ween doggie parade organised by the Port Melbourne Business Association.

And then it will be down to work.

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Further information about the candidates for Montague

Southbank News Your candidates for the Montague Ward of Port Phillip

And in alphabetical order, the candidates campaign pages:

Alex Makin

Peter Martin

Judy Sahayanathan

Chris Schwarze is one of a group of independents with a community focus under the banner People Empowering Port Phillip. Former councillor and Deputy Mayor, Serge Thomann, is also part of this group. Note that the rotating banner on their website contains only St Kilda images.

My attempt to make contact with David Knopff via the email supplied on the VEC website was unsuccessful. The email bounced.