Although he says he is "not seeking re-election", Steven Hughes will be on the ballot next month.
A Frankston City Council candidate has taken the extraordinary step of telling people not to vote for him at next month's local government elections, slamming the council that he was part of for most of the last four years.
Steven Hughes, an independent who is not a member of a political party, was elected to council at the 2020 election in North-West Ward. He was suspended three times before resigning from council in December 2023. He was replaced via countback by Glenn Aitken in January 2024.
But Hughes is now contesting the newly-created single-member Ballam Ward as one of four candidates.
In his official candidate statement, published on the Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC) website, Hughes claimed he "[was] not seeking re-election" and explicitly told voters not to vote for him.
"Frankston is the best of cities yet the worst of councils. Frankston’s rates are double that of Toorak, yet we receive inferior services. Endless overdevelopment has created unbearable congestion, our roads have potholes, graffiti is everywhere: Frankston’s CBD looks like Baghdad."
"I was elected to council in 2020. As an accountant, I aimed to reduce costs for struggling residents. I brought multiple rate reduction motions, voted against every rate rise and councillor pay increase, called out wasteful spending, and spent none of your rates on myself."
"For these reasons, I was attacked continually. I am therefore not seeking re-election. I cannot be part of an organisation that is unashamedly self-serving and indifferent to the Frankston community."
"Please do not vote for me."
"I simply ask residents to elect a new councillor group this election. The current council increased your rates every year, made it harder for residents to oppose overdevelopment, cut funding to key community groups while taking pay rises, and spent your rates unnecessarily on personal expenses. They have no vision for a better Frankston. Please choose a new candidate this election and vote high rates, over-development and poor service last. Better the devil you don't know."
In his candidate questionnaire, Hughes wrote: "Frankston council is not a people’s democracy but rather a bureaucratic fiefdom. Almost one hundred percent of recommendations proposed by the bureaucracy are approved by councillors even when they run counter to the will of the people. This council group has failed Frankston residents. It's time residents were represented properly."
The extraordinary was picked up by Council Watch Victoria on social media, who wrote that it "caught our eye".
On Facebook, Hughes describes himself as a "Frankston Council Survivor" and has told voters to preference independent councillor Kris Bolam last.
"Vote 1 Kris Bolam for higher rates in Frankston," he added.
With only two other candidates − Adam Marsal and Cristy Solis − contesting Ballam Ward, there is a possibility that Hughes could be elected despite his request that nobody support him.
In a statement to 6 News, Hughes wrote:
"Ultimately it’s up to the residents of Frankston to decide who they want to represent them. The important thing is that Frankston seeks a new direction. The current councillor group have entirely failed our community."
"They have raised rates beyond the means of our residents, allowed egregious overdevelopment in our suburbs, cut funding to key community groups while at the same time taking pay rises, wasted millions on pet vanity projects that do not add benefit to the community, spent tens of thousands on things like travel, child care, conferences art centre tickets, allowed Frankston residents to be 1000% more likely to have court action against them for unpaid rates than other councils, and made Frankston an embarrassment with poor infrastructure, pot holed streets and graffiti everywhere."
"If the residents of Frankston vote for me or not that is up to them, but at this moment having anyone other than this council group elected is all that matters for Frankston’s future."
Candidate nominations closed this week and voting takes place statewide via postal ballot next month.