Sky's Vic Park Newsletter Special Edition: 2025 Elections!
Local government election votes close 6pm 18th October! Learn more about how to vote and what the candidates have said.
Kaya!
Did you know that the turnout for our last local elections was 28.29%? Less than a third of eligible voters took the time to vote for representatives who set the strategic direction for the level of government that most directly touches your daily life.
I hope that we can get more people engaged this time. It’s also important to remember that your vote really matters - and low turnout means that those who do vote have a larger impact.
Voting packages for the local government elections are likely to be arriving in mailboxes soon. This special edition of my newsletter is intended to give you some resources to help you make the most of your vote.
And if you’re a resident of Vic Park but not an Australian citizen and therefore can’t vote, there are still ways to get engaged! You can still talk to the candidates about issues that matter to you, and if you find an inspiring candidate you can help them by talking to friends in the area, flyering, or putting up a sign for them.
The basics:
The Town has a great guide on how to vote up our website.
Most importantly, if you’re returning your voting package by post, mail it by 16th October 2025. After the 16th, ensure your vote is counted by bringing it into the Town of Victoria Park Admin Centre during office hours 8:30am-5pm Monday to Friday. The Town of Victoria Park Admin Centre will also be open from 8am to 6pm on Saturday, 18 October 2025. So your last chance to have your vote counted is taking it to 99 Shepperton Rd by 6pm, 18th October, in person.
Who to vote for?
There are four seats being contested this election, two in Banksia Ward and two in Jarrah Ward. You can read candidate statements and find candidates’ social media and contact links on the Town website.
Candidate statements are short, and can be hard to feel you know enough about them to make your choice. Here are some tips for feeling confident in your vote:
1) Take the time to look at their social media and/or websites. This is often where people give a better sense of their priorities, values, and skills.
2) Email them directly and ask about the issues that matter to you! This is more effective when you can be specific. For example, candidates across local elections in Perth are generally in favour of urban greening, but if this is an important issue for you, you might ask about the particular projects, funding, or policies they have in mind. If someone says they’re going to keep rates low, you might ask them which specific services or projects they want to cut (or how they intend to raise more revenue).
3) Meet them in person - many candidates run or attend in-person events during their election campaigns. (And of course sitting members like Cr Miles and Cr Devereux will already have attended many community events during their term.)
Read other people’s notes!
We’re lucky to be in an area full of wonderful, engaged community groups. This year the Friends of Jirdarup have collated a quick guide to candidate positions on green spaces for Vic Park and South Perth.
The Vic Park Collective also ran a Candidates’ Debate this Thursday, and I made an attempt to note everyone’s answers. It was a lively night at the Broken Hill Hotel and I didn’t catch everything that was said, so please excuse summaries, errors, and omissions. ‘???’ indicates an area where I know they said something, but didn’t hear what. I strongly encourage you to get in touch with candidates if there’s anything you want to hear more from them on.
I’ve provided links for the attendees in the notes to make that easier.
Two candidates didn’t attend: Andra Biondi and Scott Ingram. Answers given in the order candidates were sitting in rather than the order in which they spoke (which changed for each question).
Q: Are you a member of a political party? What’s a policy you don’t agree with?
Lindsay Miles (Banksia Ward): No
Peter Devereux (Banksia Ward): No
Carl Celedin (Jarrah Ward): ALP, Burswood racetrack
Michael McGrady (Jarrah Ward): Yes, Liberal Party (but not an endorsed candidate), no disagreement
Tim Young (Jarrah Ward): ex-Greens because I disagreed with some of their policies
Melinda Joseph (Jarrah Ward): Endorsed WA Socialists candidate, no disagreements
Jack Gordon-Manley (Jarrah Ward): Endorsed Greens candidate, no disagreements
Q: What’s your stand on the racetrack at Burswood?
Lindsay Miles: I oppose the racetrack, nobody has asked for this. Even people who like racing think this is a weird spot for it.
Peter Devereux: I oppose the racetrack, we have a council resolution to advocate against this, this is a poor use of the space.
Carl Celedin: One word comes to mind: hubris. It’s time for some of our local leaders to stand up and put a stop to this.
Michael McGrady: Hard no from me on the racetrack, that money could be spent in better ways. Having the opportunity to have green space like that in the city is important.
Tim Young: What a waste of money, what a misuse of our public green spaces, this is a biodiverse wetland, an amphitheatre could be good, but not like this.
Melinda Joseph: Appalled by the proposal, that they would spend millions on this when there’s a public hospital crisis.
Jack Gordon-Manley: Terrible! That’s our public green space. I want an outdoor auditorium, but the racetrack? No.
Q: The Town has one of the highest rates in the dollar of all Perth councils? Why do you think this is, and is it justified?
Lindsay Miles: One thing that Vic Park doesn’t do that other councils do is that we don’t separate out our waste services, which makes our rates look artificially higher than councils that separate out waste charges. We’re still dealing with the impact of holding rates low after Covid, but my goal in the longer term is to hold it to levels of inflation.
Peter Devereux: In the last year we attempted to bring rates down a bit from the first proposal. We can fund Town services with more than rates, there are diverse income streams we can draw on.
Carl Celedin: Rates are always too high. When I was on South Perth council I aimed to keep rates low, how you do that is always complex. It’s important to ensure that any expenditure is accompanied by a reasonable business case.
Michael McGrady: Rates are an essential part of operating the Town, but the council should be cautious and consult with the community and be transparent. The recent change allowing people to pay rates on an instalment basis is good.
Tim Young: As a freshly-minted homeowner I have no experience with paying rates – I just assumed this is it! I would guess that there are some amount of efficiencies that can be made, but it’s also important to make Vic Park an amazing place to be.
Melinda Joseph: We’re in a cost of living crisis, but council should be providing services that meet people’s needs. That means setting rates that factor in the cost of living crisis, but also help to meet people’s meets. We should set policies that do things like discourage landlords from leaving houses empty.
Jack Gordon-Manley: My goal on council would be to aim for conservative rates, while also working to make Victoria Park into a vibrant place where we want to live.
Q: What’s your vision for active transport in the Town of Vic Park?
Lindsay Miles: I want to see good transport links from the train stations to the local centres. At the moment there’s too much focus on bike lanes on main streets, we need to look more at safer streets for cyclists and pedestrians along quieter parallel roads.
Peter Devereux: I think it was the Collective that pioneered the street party. We should be working with schools and parents to take on the challenge of active transport.
Carl Celedin: One thing that excites me is when you’re driving along and you see people walking along or riding along to the shops. I want to see pockets of Albany Highway closed to cars, to see those sections activated with foot traffic.
Michael McGrady: I would like to see less cars on the road, and see people making the most of bicycles and other ways to get around. I know that there’s been some contested ideas about separated bike paths, I’m a huge advocate for a separated bike path along Kent St.
Tim Young: I’m an avid cyclist, I would love to see more cycle infrastructure. That doesn’t always mean cycle paths, that also means bike parking. There’s a real lack in many parts of the town of safe and secure cycle parking. End of trip facilities are also an important factor.
Melinda Joseph: Active transport is a really important part of a sustainable Town, I want to see more bike lanes, traffic calming, and infrastructure that supports pedestrian cycle safety. We need to improve the public accessibility of our spaces.
Jack Gordon-Manley: We need to start young by ensuring that kids can cycle and walk to get around. We also need to ensure that cycle ways and walkways are green and have shade, to make it enjoyable to get around.
Q: What’s your favourite event in Vic Park and what event would you like to see?
Lindsay Miles: The Street Party is not my favourite, I’m on the business advisory group and many businesses don’t love it because it disrupts their trade and creates issues. I like smaller decentralised events that can get to a bunch of the community. I’d love to see more events in Carlisle, let’s do some fun things there.
Peter Devereux: I love the Street Party but there are so many smaller events that I love, like the Lasagna Bakeoff, walks with friends from Jirdarup, the Rotary Markets on Sunday. In terms of what we could do, it would be good to do something with active transport, which would be a lovely alternative to Burswood.
Carl Celedin: For years I’ve been going to the Street Party and it’s just fantastic. Block off the streets, let people walk and experience the great businesses.
Michael McGrady: Street party’s great, I wouldn’t change a thing, but I really liked last year’s Stranger Things string quarter. I’d like to see us activate those areas more. Outdoor cinemas and other smaller events.
Tim Young: I love the Street Party too, also a big fan of the lasagna bakeoff. I’d love to see more live music and support for local arts events in Vic Park.
Melinda Joseph: Cultural dinners at Vic Park Community Centre, I’ve only been able to get tickets to one, but it’s a great opportunity to hear from migrants in the community and meet people. More free accessible concerts would be a great thing!
Jack Gordon-Manley: Street Party: it brings people together and makes the strip more accessible. As council we can help businesses to create a beautiful streetscape like Vincent is doing, and Subiaco is addressing vacant shopfronts by providing subsidised rents.
Q: How do you think Vic Park should celebrate and support a more inclusive community?
Lindsay Miles: The Town does a pretty good job over a lot of events. I think it’s more about the kinds of events we can provide. I’ve worked in waste education for a while and we don’t always reach everyone on the community – that’s not just true about waste. And we can use the library as a community hub to help people connect.
Peter Devereux: Yes, the library already does a great job but there’s more we can do there. We can also develop more community hubs that help people from different groups to connect. We’ve seen that Cr Anderson has played a huge role in creating connections across the Town when it comes to people with disabilities.
Carl Celedin: We are a diverse community and we need to support that. Cultural dinners are great, we should also think about the library.
Michael McGrady: We already celebrate diversity really well. We could do more by consulting with community groups about what they want. Us as councillors should get out and talk to community members.
Tim Young: I’m not on council but anyone on council can attest to the fact that I’m at council a lot. I’m proud of how diverse Vic Park is, for example Ashiana Humanitarian Network did an amazing event recently. I think we need to let different groups know that they can have support to hold events here. Also the library!
Melinda Joseph: There’s a huge number of things we could do. Services that are more directed to supported migrants and Indigenous people in the Town, it’s great to see Noongar classes starting up, other events like the cultural dinners, but ultimately we need to ensure we’re providing services.
Jack Gordon-Manley: ToVP staff are exceptional, they work with council to create a really engaged area. We should be working with different groups to see how they want to be engaged and included by meeting with others and listening to them.
Q: What’s your vision for the 1km radius around Oat St Station?
Lindsay Miles: As Peter said, we have the Oats St Precinct Plan, which includes housing, mixed-use development, green space. We do have Holcim trying to triple the concrete production near there, so please consider emailing the SDAU. That’s my vision: no concrete plant!
Peter Devereux: The great thing is that we have a vision for that area, the Oats St Station Precint plan that council passed this year. We have that lovely long park, we have zoning for transit-oriented development. We also have to fight against industry that wants to encroach on these areas, which is why I fought against the expansion of the concrete plant.
Carl Celedin: We are under attack. The state government wants higher density, but that doesn’t mean massive blocks of boring and distasteful development. We need places with a few cafes, a few restaurants, where people can catch the train to the city. But how do we get there? It’s really hard. I was on the JDAP when I was on council in South Perth, we had some great wins around overshadowing, but it’s really hard.
Michael McGrady: Being able to activate businesses in the area, we should turn it into a destination where people actually want to do, and we need affordable housing near the train line.
Tim Young: Mixed use medium density! There’s so much opportunity in the area, and great businesses already starting up there. We need to have the right requirements in our building codes: affordable housing, but also with shared spaces and green spaces, spaces for community, not just in the building but also in the surrounding areas.
Melinda Joseph: It’s a good opportunity to put forward things that improve sustainability, connectedness through public transport, pushing for developments that prioritise people’s needs for affordable housing near public transport that connects them.
Jack Gordon-Manley: That area should be somewhere we’re excited to go. Medium-density housing, shopfronts, community centres, ensuring that it’s accessible.
Q: How do you give back/volunteer in the community?
Lindsay Miles: Before I was on council, I did more! Now I’m on council I have limited free time. I have volunteered for the Burswood Community Cinema, worked on the Rutland community garden, [Brooke interjects: Lindsay did much better at this last time!]
Peter Devereux: It’s hard to maintain your community voluntary activities when you have meetings two to four evenings a week. Engaging with different local groups as part of council is voluntary, and I love doing it. I do also volunteer with the One World Centre and an active hope group.
Carl Celedin: I’ve been a volunteer my entire adult life, at the local hockey club, I was on the board of a mental health group, and now I’m working with Subsea7 Energy on the energy transition.
Michael McGrady: I’ve been working with the school, volunteering with the dads’ group, also the local footy club. Through work I help with Wheelchairs for Kids.
Tim Young: I volunteer with the Collective Shed, so you’ll see me there on Saturday and Sunday mornings, and Wednesday evenings. The Collective Shed has been incredible, we’re saving people money and saving the planet. I also founded the lunar astronomy project, I held a small telescope party at the end of Swansea St, and also make regular donations to the Haven of the things they need like food, bags or containers.
Melinda Joseph: I’m an organiser with Healthcare Workers for Palestine, we’re working towards an end to the genocide. We help to organise marches like those you’ve seen recently, organise events to help fundraise for people who are in Gaza. I was previously involved in the Refugee Rights Action Network, and was involved in the campaign for equal marriage.
Jack Gordon-Manley: For me it’s a lot around the Greens and activism there. We’ve pushed the government to talk about things they don’t want to talk about. This includes renters, who were forgotten in the last election. We need renters to have rights so they can be part of the community. We’ve worked on activism around Gaza, worked with unions, and other issues.
Q: What’s your craziest idea for Vic Park if anything was possible?
Lindsay Miles: A proper integrated cycle network with COVERS, also a library in Carlisle, also EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN TOVP JOINS THE BUY NOTHING PAGE AND STOPS PUTTING GOOD STUFF ON THE VERGE!
Peter Devereux: A tram that does all the way down Albany highway and then also crosses over Roberts Rd or another route that way, and also to Curtin Highway. We need that!
Carl Celedin: Closing Albany Highway to cars.
Michael McGrady: Down at the river near the skatepark: a beach!
Tim Young: Close down the whole of Albany Highway, turn it into a pedestrian priority zone with electric buses that fit twelve people each, turn the river into a swimming beach, great public transport connections, a great public transport connection between UWA and Curtin, a ferry PLUS DIRIGIBLES, also underground power, no more powerplants!!
Melinda Joseph: My crazy vision is the same as my vision for the world in general: one where people have access to quality services and housing that meets their needs. Healthcare, education, all of our needs.
Jack Gordon-Manley: Community-owned shopfronts so we can make space for arts and culture!
Then we got to the rapid-fire section so I was especially bad at keeping up! If you want more information about candidates' cycling habits or their Town hero, ask them!
Q: Do you support local planning policy 47 (tree retention on private land)?
Lindsay Miles: Yes
Peter Devereux: Yes
Carl Celedin: No
Michael McGrady: Yes
Tim Young: Yes
Melinda Joseph: Yes
Jack Gordon-Manley: Yes
Q: What would you put on a Vic Park postcard?
Lindsay Miles: Rayment park
Peter Devereux: Oats st station and..???
Carl Celedin: Fraser park
Michael McGrady: chilli scrambled egg from ???
Tim Young: The roundabout, you know the one, I won’t try to name it.
Melinda Joseph: People in Vic Park!
Jack Gordon-Manley: Art!
Q: Do you live in the ward that you’re nominating in?
Lindsay Miles: Yes
Peter Devereux: Yes
Carl Celedin: Yes
Michael McGrady: Yes
Tim Young: Yes
Melinda Joseph: Yes
Jack Gordon-Manley: Yes
Q: What’s your favourite coffee order and cafe?
Lindsay Miles: ???
Peter Devereux: Bella Rosa cappucino
Carl Celedin: long mac ???
Michael McGrady: long mac ???
Tim Young: ???
Melinda Joseph: soy chai latte ???
Jack Gordon-Manley: Venn ice latte
Q: When was the last time you cycled or took public transport?
Lindsay Miles: I cycled here
Peter Devereux: I didn’t know you were allowed to not cycle here
Carl Celedin: I cycled here
Michael McGrady: ???
Tim Young: today???
Melinda Joseph: today???
Jack Gordon-Manley: Public Transport recently ...cycled yesterday
Q: What’s your favourite park in the Town?
Lindsay Miles: Rayment
Peter Devereux: ???
Carl Celedin: Raphael
Michael McGrady: Raphael
Tim Young: Jirdarup
Melinda Joseph: Jirdarup
Jack Gordon-Manley: Jirdarup
[HECKLING FROM THE AUDIENCE: JIRDARUP IS NOT A PARK]
Q: How many council meetings have you attended or watched in the last year?
Lindsay Miles: all of them, thousands?
Peter Devereux: all of them
Carl Celedin: OCM or ABFs? About 80% but I haven’t watched all of them.
Michael McGrady: about 60%
Tim Young: In person 5, online many more.
Melinda Joseph: None yet.
Jack Gordon-Manley: I have a social life so ???
What’s your favourite comfort food?
Lindsay Miles: chips
Peter Devereux: ???
Carl Celedin: Brandon special
Michael McGrady: Green curry from red basil
Tim Young: Yum yum tree mi goreng
Melinda Joseph: large rice dishes Petras
Jack Gordon-Manley: ???
Who is your Town hero?
Michael McGrady: Karen
Carl Celedin: ???
Peter Devereux: Massimo, architect of the Lathlain Bike Bus
Lindsay Miles: ??
Tim Young: Emma who runs the Friday Crafternoon at the bowls club
Melinda Joseph: Friends of Jirdarup
Jack Gordon-Manley: ???
Verge collection or verge valet:
LM: VV
PD: VV
CC: VC
MM: VV
TY: Looking forward to VV. But I did enjoy VL
MJ: VV seems like a good idea
JGM: VC for the free furniture
Q: Are you a member of the Collective Shed, and if not, why not?
Lindsay Miles: Yes
Peter Devereux: Yes
Carl Celedin: I love spending flybuys at Bunnings, so no.
Michael McGrady: I inherited tools from my grandfather, so no. [HECKLING FROM BROOKE: NO ONE HAS EVERYTHING THE COLLECTIVE SHED HAS!]
Tim Young: Yes.
Melinda Joseph: No, I keep telling myself I’ll sign up.
Jack Gordon-Manley: Yes, but I haven’t borrowed yet.
Phew! That’s it! Remember, if you have questions for anyone or want to get an answer that I missed, candidates’ contact details are on their candidate statements.
What next?
I hope that you’ll take the time to think carefully about your vote.
Hopefully, if there are candidates you’re excited about you’ll also encourage others to vote for them - or just to vote at all!
Take the time to talk to friends in the area about the candidates, and remind them to get their postal vote in the mail before 16th October, or bring it to the Town offices at 99 Shepperton road before 18th October, 6pm.
All the best,
sky.
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