Follow Jess' campaign

Everyone deserves clean air, no matter which side of the Westgate Bridge they live on.

For decades, Melbourne’s west has carried a disproportionate pollution burden. Our kids are being hospitalised for asthma at some of the highest rates in the State.

Clean air is not a luxury. It is a public health issue.

I will fight to

• Filter the West Gate Tunnel ventilation stacks.
• Get trucks off residential streets while ensuring pollution and risk is not simply shifted into neighbouring communities.
• Accelerate the transition to cleaner freight, including electric trucks and more freight moved by rail.
• Expand tree canopy and urban greening to reduce pollution and urban heat.
• Hold the government accountable for protecting the health of children and families in the west.

Development should happen with our community, not to it.

Our community feels that planning decisions happen to them rather than with them, and often government decisions are predetermined before consultation even begins. We have major projects imposed on our neighbourhoods without genuine partnership with local residents.

Growth is inevitable. Poor planning is not.

I will fight for

• Genuine community consultation before major developments are approved.
• Level crossing removal projects that meet the community’s needs (ramps not lifts)
• Smarter transport and infrastructure planning that keeps pace with population growth.
• Greater clarity around planning decisions and government accountability, including in relation to the Joseph Road Precinct.
• Development that balances housing, jobs, green space and liveability.

The rapid expansion of data centres in residential areas has become one of the clearest examples of planning decisions being made without genuine community consultation.

Technology should serve our community, not come at its expense.

The question is not whether Victoria should have data centres.

The question is whether the people who live next door deserve to have a genuine say before these decisions are made.

I will fight for

• A moratorium on new approvals in residential areas until cumulative health and environmental impacts have been independently assessed.
• Genuine community consultation before major industrial developments are approved.
• Independent assessment of air quality, diesel emissions, noise, heat, traffic, water use and public health impacts.
• Stronger planning protections for homes, schools, childcare centres and parks.
• Requirements for operators to power new facilities with additional renewable energy, rather than increasing pressure on Victoria’s electricity grid.
• Community benefit agreements so that large corporations contribute to local infrastructure, green space and neighbourhood improvements.
• Greater transparency around planning decisions and ministerial approvals. Scrutiny and winding back of fast-track approval processes.

A thriving Footscray requires both compassion and accountability.

Everyone deserves to feel safe, and people doing it tough deserve dignity and support.

I will work to

• Increase visible evidence-based and human-rights informed community safety measures in the Footscray CBD and around transport hubs.
• Improve lighting, maintenance and activation of public spaces.
• Address neglected and vacant land and infrastructure, and explore new approaches to revitalising the district.
• Expand mental health, alcohol and drug and homelessness support services.
• Prevent the closure of Foley House.
• Bring together police, service providers, traders and community organisations to deliver practical long-term solutions.
• Support local traders and small businesses to ensure a thriving local economy.
• Significantly increase funding for frontline services to keep women safe from violence.

The best cost of living relief tackles the root causes, not just the symptoms.

Families deserve practical support that reduces everyday expenses.

I will advocate for

• Measures that support the energy transition in Victoria, and lower household energy bills through electrification and energy efficiency.
• Better public transport.
• More affordable childcare.
• More affordable, well planned housing, including public and community housing.
• Affordability, access and protections for renters.
• Policies that strengthen local jobs and support small businesses.

As our population grows and our suburbs heat, our limited green spaces and urban canopy become even more vital.

Parks, trees, and local biodiversity are vital to community health and wellbeing.

I will fight to

• Deliver a community-led vision for the Old Footscray Hospital site.
• Preserve as much of the Maribyrnong Defence Site as possible for public use.
• Support the community to protect McIvor Reserve and identify appropriate brownfields sites for new sporting infrastructure.
• Clean up legacy industrial pollution.
• Expand tree canopy across the electorate.
• Regenerate and rewild places like Stony Creek, the Maribyrnong River corridor and former industrial land, restoring native vegetation, improving habitat for wildlife and making nature more accessible for local families.
• Invest in improved and climate-resilient parks, playgrounds and public open spaces.

Our river should be something we celebrate, not fear.

Climate change means we need to prepare now.

I will advocate for

• Better flood mitigation for the Maribyrnong River (including advocating for the Arundel Retarding Basin) and emergency preparedness.
• Faster investment in flood resilience infrastructure.
• Cleaner waterways and stronger action to reduce pollution.
• A healthier Maribyrnong River that is safe for recreation and wildlife.
• Long term planning that protects homes, businesses and future generations.

Families should not have to leave the western suburbs for a great education.

Every child deserves the opportunity to thrive.

I will fight for

• Better funding for local public schools.
• Improved access to childcare and early learning & stronger support for early childhood education.
• More investment in secondary schools as our population grows.
• Better bilingual education opportunities that reflect our diverse community.

Politics should work for people, not vested interests.

After years of scandals and declining public trust, Victoria needs higher standards and accountability.

I will fight for

• Greater transparency in political donations and lobbying.
• Stronger integrity and accountability measures to uncover, investigate and prevent corruption.
• Genuine community consultation before major decisions are made.
• Regular public reporting on my work as your representative, and ongoing community listening.
• Transparent and evidence-based decisions.

Our diversity is our greatest strength.

Footscray’s multicultural identity is something to protect and celebrate.

I will work to

• Support multicultural organisations and community leaders.
• Promote bilingual communication where appropriate.
• Celebrate the languages, cultures and stories that make our community unique.
• Ensure every part of our community has a genuine voice in government.
• Protect social cohesion by standing firmly against racism and division.