EMBOLDENED councillor Helen Healy is refusing to bow to the online trolls she says have been “mercilessly” attacking her over the past three years, revealing that she would seek another term on Mildura Council.
The former deputy mayor lifted the lid on what she says has been “relentless trolling”, as she announced her candidacy for the October 2024 local government poll.
“I’ve been trolled mercilessly on social media – to the point where there have been anonymously generated emails that are foul, and I even had a letter in my home letterbox that was disgusting,” Cr Healy said.
“I often get very sexist remarks, ageist remarks and gender-specific remarks sent to me online.
“Over the last few years, it’s been pretty horrendous but I’m actually grateful to the trolls in a ‘Zen’ kind of way because I am a lot stronger now.
“When you’re in the ‘Roosevelt arena’, you are going to get pot shots fired at you. But I now have it far more in perspective because of the heavy trolling I’ve experienced over the past few years.”
Fellow councillor Stefano de Pieri was alongside Cr Healy as he also announced this week that he would run for the next council.
Asked if he had copped similar online abuse, Cr de Pieri said he was a “tunnel-vision person” who ignores the “social media rubbish”.
The next local government poll is still six months away – on October 26 – but both Cr Healy and Cr de Pieri have fired the starter’s gun on their campaign to get the community thinking about the key issues moving forward.
They also wanted to create more awareness – and their disapproval – about the new ward system that the State Government announced in February.
Under the overhaul, there will be nine single-councillor wards of about 5000 electors each.
Nominees do not have to live in the ward they select, they must simply be enrolled within the Mildura municipality.
Assuming there are candidates in each ward, there will be nine separate elections in the Mildura municipality in October.
The Victorian Electoral Commission states that candidates can only nominate for one ward and will directly compete for public votes against other nominees in that area.
Of the nine current councillors, three live in Henderson Park ward, two live in Lake Ranfurly ward, two live in Kings Billabong ward, one lives in Nowingi Place ward and one lives in Millewa ward.
No current councillors live in Mildura Wetlands ward, City Gate ward, Sunset Country ward or Karadoc ward.
Cr Healy said she nominate in the Henderson Park ward, while Cr de Pieri said he would have a crack at being elected in the Lake Ranfurly ward.
Based on the results of the 2023 Voice referendum and 2022 federal election, these two wards are the most progressive (left wing) in the local government area.
“We didn’t ask for this ward system,” Cr de Pieri said. “This was done in Melbourne because of the competition between Labor and the Greens.
“So, Labor thought that if they divide it into wards it will be a lot easier to keep the Greens out. It’s just a political decision by the Labor government, and we’ve now caught in this divisive decision that just doesn’t work in an LGA like Mildura, which covers about 25,000km sq.”
Minister for Local Government Melissa Horne said the new ward system would ensure councils were “more reflective of the communities they represent”.
“These new ward boundaries (are) an important step in our work to reform local government and meet the expectations of communities right across Victoria,” she said.
Listening tour
Stefano de Pieri said he will kick off his campaign with a listening tour.
“That will help guide my campaign, it’s important to listen first,” the celebrity cook said.
“I think being a ward councillor shouldn’t preclude working with other councillors on common issues across the municipality.”
Just as he spoke about the major concern of trucks driving through the town centre, a B-double drove past his café on Deakin Avenue.
“This is one issue that councillors should be working together to address,” he said. “A bypass would involve other wards.”
He said he was also keen to continue “the embellishment of the riverfront”.
“We’ve always been known as a tourist destination, but we haven’t defined what that is besides houseboats and the beautiful sunshine,” Cr de Pieri said.
“The Powerhouse, riverfront, our Feast Street and Trail of Lights will go a long way to helping redefine how we are seen.”
For Cr Healy, she wants to continue her advocacy for tackling the scourge of family violence.
“I’m proud of the motion I put about the crisis we have with social and affordable housing, because that has now led to a whole-of-community taskforce,” she said.
“All these agencies sitting around the table together to share information and look at solutions makes my heart sing.”
‘Brain fart’ moment
One major black mark against Cr Pieri’s record as a councillor this term came last year when he was fined and placed on a good behaviour bond for a “brain fart” after he misused his position on council in an attempt to influence the appointment of its chief executive officer.
Mildura Magistrates’ Court heard de Pieri, who was recognised in last year’s King’s Birthday honours for service to the Mildura community and to the hospitality industry, tried to provide advice to an applicant for the post in 2021 following the resignation of Sarah Philpott.
However, he said he had moved on from this setback as he focuses on “delivering positive outcomes for the community”.
Diversity push
Both Cr de Pieri and Cr Healy encouraged more women and people from different cultural backgrounds to run for council in October.
“We have people from 72 different nationalities living in Mildura, and it’d be good to see a wider representation of these cultures on council, along with 50-50 gender equality,” Cr Healy said.
Both admit, though, that the level of red tape in “getting things done” is a deterrent for people to run.
The other is the relatively poor pay for councillors, given the high number of hours they put in each week.
The councillor base allowance (Category 2) for Mildura is $32,877.
However, the mayor (Liam Wood) is paid a base annual rate of $105,424, and the deputy mayor (Mark Eckel) is on $52,713.
Close of nominations to run for Mildura Council is on Tuesday, September 24.
Voters will be able to vote in person at their local booth or cast a postal vote before election day.
More info: vec.vic.gov.au/voting/types-of-elections/local-council-elections
