A by-election could be on the cards for Hume Council if Aitken ward councillor Carly Moore wins her bid to become a federal MP.
The former Hume City Council mayor and current councillor resigned from the Labor Party today to stand as an independent candidate for the electorate of Calwell. The election will be held on or before 17 May.
The seat is currently held by Maria Vamvakinou who was first elected to Calwell in 2001. She announced her retirement last year and gave her valedictory speech 10 February 2025.
Cllr Moore says: “My connection to Calwell is deep. I know this community well and for too long, the electorate of Calwell has been neglected and has lacked the leadership our community needs and deserves.
Cllr Carly Moore.
“Governments have continued to treat Melbourne’s north as an afterthought. Decades of neglect have left our roads clogged, our one emergency hospital underfunded and under-resourced, our local businesses struggling to survive and the cost-of-living crisis has hit us hard.
“Last month Broadmeadows received funding of $3.3m to support the delivery of an economic hub in Broadmeadows. In the same week, Western Sydney received $1bn to build critical infrastructure. I am tired of feeling like my community has been ripped off.”
Moore says her core values of social justice, fairness and equality have always aligned with those of the Labor Party.
“I want our community to have access to everything they need to live a happy and fulfilling life – quality healthcare, excellent educational opportunities, and meaningful employment,” she says.
Maria Vamvakinou.
“But this is not the reality of life in the outer northern suburbs, and this is why in the end, it was an easy decision to nominate.
“The community has told me that they are looking for change. They want strong leadership, someone they can trust, someone they can rely on and someone who will work tirelessly for them.”
Moore says that despite being one of the fastest-growing regions in Australia, Hume continue to see a lack of investment, “…while other areas receive priority funding”.
At the 2024 council elections in November, Moore received over 82% of the primary vote in Aitken Ward.
Guidelines for councillors running for parliament.
Calwell
Location: The Division of Calwell consists of: part of the Brimbank City Council, and part of the Hume City Council.
Area: 265 Sq km
Electors enrolled: 107,507 (at 11.6.2019)
Industries: Manufacturing, food processing, transport and freight, postal and warehousing, retail, construction, aviation, education and training, and tourism.
