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Wards
The City of Darebin ward structure has been changed effective from the 24 October General Elections. The City is now divided into nine single member wards
For details of the nine wards visit the Victorian Electoral Commission website.
Darebin Ward Map
Mayor and Council Elections
Darebin's Mayor is Cr Lina Messina. The Deputy Mayor is Cr Gaetano Greco.
Council Elections are held every four years and this year's election was held on 24 October 2020.
The results of this election were declared and the newly elected Councillors sworn in on 9 November 2020.
Councillors
Cr Lina Messina (Mayor) - Central Ward
Mobile: 0419 750 504
Email: Lina.Messina@darebin.vic.gov.au
Terms as Councillor: 2016-2020, 2020-2024
Term as Mayor: 2020-2021
Councillor profile: Darebin is a great municipality - I love our unique social and cultural diversity.
We know there are many things we can do to collectively make our city even better. For me that includes transparency, social inclusion and good governance. We need to ensure that our planning scheme balances growth with sustainable and appropriate developments that are congruent with our neighbourhood character. We need to stimulate jobs and economic development and foster the arts, culture and heritage that underpin our community identity.
As a council we will need to capitalise on Councillor’s individual strengths, talents and attributes. We’ll need to embody cohesion, trust and strong working relationships.
I am passionate about making a contribution to our community and honoured and humbled by the trust placed in me and the Council.
Cr Gaetano Greco (Deputy Mayor) - North West Ward
Mobile: 0419 750 214
Email: Gaetano.Greco@darebin.vic.gov.au
Terms as Councillor: 2008-2012, 2012-2016, 2016-2020, 2020-2024
Terms as Mayor: 2013-2014
Councillor profile: Darebin is the best multicultural city in Victoria, with people from all over the world living side by side in harmony and supporting one another.
We have great local businesses, cafes and restaurants - my top priority is protecting the iconic Preston Market’s character and culture. I’m eager to get things done for our city, to make Council more transparent and accessible and help people have a real say about how ratepayers’ money is spent.
It’s time to get on with big project like the multi sports stadium, new intercultural centre, Edwardes Lake Boat House, city beautification, and environmental initiatives.
We also need to stop inappropriate development. Enough is enough. We need to fix traffic and parking problems and ensure the State Government fixes our dangerous rail crossings.
Cr Julie Williams - North Central Ward
Mobile: 0419 750 152
Email: Julie.Williams@darebin.vic.gov.au
Terms as Councillor: 2012-2016, 2016-2020, 2020-2024
Councillor profile: I've lived, worked and played in Darebin nearly all my life and am now raising my family here.
Darebin is so culturally diverse with an abundance of food, schools, sporting clubs and innovative businesses, open spaces, and great transport. The Preston Market is a great reflection of the culture that makes this community so wonderful and liveable.
With our growing population, within the next 15 years 25 per cent of our residents will be over the age of 65. I want to ensure Darebin continually invests in infrastructure, trees, safety and appropriate development so that our next generation will be accommodated for.
I was motivated to stand for council again because I wanted to ensure that Darebin builds appropriate development, protects sensitive interfaces, manages parking, and protects local amenities.
Cr Tim Laurence - North East Ward
Mobile: 0419 750 234
Email: Tim.Laurence@darebin.vic.gov.au
Terms as Councillor: 1996-1997, 1998-2002, 2008-2012, 2012-2016, 2016-2020, 2020-2024
Terms as Mayor: 2000-2001, 2012-2013
Councillor profile: No other place can match the vibrancy of this easy-going and culturally diverse community. People are quick to say hello and we're a multilingual lot with many languages in our midst.
We're spoilt for food choice with Preston market and a diverse range of cultural providores, and our large urban parks and creek valleys provide great open spaces.
I ran for council again to make a difference. I believe we must ensure a fair go for all, equal access to council services, and equal allocation of ratepayer funding across our suburbs.
Our biggest challenge is restoring our City to being the best place to live in Melbourne. We need better roads, replanted parks, affordable housing, greener streetscapes, renewed sports facilities and first-class community centres and services.
Cr Susanne Newton - West Ward
Mobile: 0419 764 245
Email: Susanne.Newton@darebin.vic.gov.au
Terms as Councillor: 2016-2020, 2020-2024
Councillor profile: I choose to live in Darebin because it's so diverse and vibrant, and I've gotten to know and love Reservoir.
Reservoir is an amazing example of different ethnic communities living in harmony. But there’s room for more small businesses and a livelier shopping strip - enhancing what's good about Reservoir now while maintaining the sense of community.
Our city faces significant challenges with population growth, the impacts of traffic, and climate change. As a Council we need to ask if we have good enough planning to cope with density and manage the impact.
At a local level, my key concerns reflect what the community told me: hoons and safety on our streets, appropriate development and open spaces to balance the increase in housing density.
Cr Susan Rennie - South Central Ward
Mobile: 0419 750 035
Email: Susan.Rennie@darebin.vic.gov.au
Terms as Councillor: 2016-2020, 2020-2024
Terms as Mayor: 2018 - 2020
Councillor profile: Cr Rennie was elected to Council in 2016 and served as Mayor from November 2018-2020.
I am a long-term public health campaigner and community activist for gambling reform and equality.
I work to enhance community health and wellbeing and believe we cannot achieve good community health without environmental health and social justice. I push for decisive action to respond to the climate emergency and address inequality in our community.
In addition to my role as a Councillor, I am employed at the Victorian Local Governance Association and have many years’ experience working alongside councils on public policy and community development projects. Prior to being with the VLGA, I worked for Primary Care Partnerships for almost 10 years.
In addition to holding a Doctorate in Social Work, I am a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors Course. I’m enormously enthusiastic about being a Councillor, Mayor of Darebin in 2019 and 2020, and the many ways in which local governments can shape and improve the lives of communities.
Cr Trent McCarthy - South West Ward
Mobile: 0419 750 604
Email: Trent.McCarthy@darebin.vic.gov.au
Terms as Councillor: 2008-2012, 2012-2016, 2016-2020, 2020-2024
Councillor profile: The place we now call Darebin has a rich history of human settlement going back thousands of years. We should look to how the Wurundjeri Nation has lived in harmony and connection with this land to meet the challenges we face, now and into the future.
With Darebin’s population expected to grow by 40,000 over the next 14 years, we need to make better and fairer use of what we have. We must secure, rejuvenate and create the services and infrastructure our diverse community needs, from community centres and sports facilities to children’s services and aged care. We must always keep an eye on what makes Darebin a great place to live - our inclusive and vibrant community, our unique streetscapes and urban spaces and our bushland, parks and creeks.
I'm excited to work with you and our new Council team to meet the big challenges, ensuring we have well-designed, accessible and sustainable housing and that we take strong local action on climate change. We need open and accountable governance and community-led solutions - everyone should feel ownership of Council’s plans.