SOME candidates standing for Hobsons Bay Council are understood to be spending well in excess of $20,000 on their campaign.
Forty-one contenders are fighting for seven positions in three multi-member wards at the October 27 postal election.
While some independents said they couldn’t compete with candidates backed by political parties, some Labor-supported candidates claimed a few independents were spending just as much, if not more.
Michael Raffoul, one of two ALP-supported candidates for Cherry Lake ward, would not disclose his advertising costs. “I would suggest transparency is key in promoting accountability and that perhaps introduction of caps on political party contributions would help inject some fairness back into elections,” Cr Raffoul said.
“Although I am a Labor Party member, I personally have not received any endorsements from the political party, be it monetary or materials.”
Jason Price, an independent standing in the same ward, said he had spent $2000 on his campaign.
Maureen Short, also an independent Cherry Lake candidate, said it was very difficult to compete with the huge Corflutes, posters on cars and other signage. “Up to now, my costs has been in the region of $3000-4000,” Ms Short said.
Mayor Tony Briffa, running for re-election in Cherry Lake ward, has set up a campaign office in Altona’s main street. “I’m too busy to focus on the costs of the election at the moment, but it is definitely a much more expensive campaign and difficult for independents like me to compete with political parties,” he said.
Paul Morgan, an ALP-supported candidate for Strand ward, said he received no backing from Labor.
“My campaign is entirely self-funded. As for the cost, I’d be in a better position to answer that after the election,” he said. “I can tell you, however, that my initial budget has well and truly been exceeded and costs continue to mount. I know of other independent candidates running campaigns who are spending even more money.”
Carl Marsich, a Labor-supported candidate for Wetlands ward, said he had never seen so much campaign advertising material.
“There’s more election billboards in Hobsons Bay than I’ve seen in many state and federal elections,” he said.
“Of my own money, I’ve spent about $3000-$4000.”
Luba Grigorovitch, also an ALP-supported candidate for Wetlands ward, said she had budgeted “$5000 for the campaign”.
Strand ward independent candidate, Cr Angela Altair, said higher costs were inevitable given that the size of the ward she is standing in trebled and also due to the change from attendance voting.
“In a postal election it is even more important to communicate with voters as much as you can,” she said.
“It’s always harder if, like me, you don’t have a party backing. I’ve used my own money for my material and have no donations to declare.”
Bill Tehan, an ALP-supported candidates for Strand ward, said at least Labor candidates were paying their own way.
“I am aware by the amount of promotion out there that the independents would have spent just as much, if not more, on the campaign.
“I would hazard a guess and say the higher end of the costs is around $15,000 to $20,000; absolutely not a struggle for the independents.”
Strand ward independent candidate Therese McKenney-Campbell said people were complaining that advertising boards were starting to cause “visual pollution”.
She said her campaign costs averaged about $3600 without billboards, only “little postage-stamps on garden stakes”.
