EXCLUSIVE: Labor has opted not to endorse for the north-west Melbourne council, but it hasn't stopped candidates using the party name.
Labor Party members contesting Maribyrnong City Council at this month's Victorian local government elections are branding themselves as "Community Labor", although they have not been officially endorsed by the ALP.
In Victoria, Labor is endorsing candidates in seven councils, but have opted not to endorse for the north-west Melbourne council, despite having done so at the 2020 election.
However, "Community Labor for Maribyrnong" is endorsing almost all known Labor members in lieu of formal party endorsement. Here's what we know.
11 Community Labor candidates
A public Facebook post from Sheoak Ward candidate Paul Le last month confirmed that there were eleven candidates contesting as "Community Labor", who are as follows:
Cuc Lam (Braybrook)
Wallace Huang (Bluestone)
Pradeep Tiwari (Bluestone)
Pete Thomas (Burndap)
Susan Yengi (River)
Anthony Tran (River)
Aman Gaur (Saltwater)
Ari Casanova (Sheoak)
Paul Le (Sheoak)
Michael Clarke (Wattle)
Clint Lingard (Wattle)
Like most metropolitan councils, this year will be the first of Maribyrnong using single-member wards following the introduction of the Local Government Act 2020.
Another Labor member, John Cumming, is contesting Salterwater Ward as an Independent Labor candidate. He confirmed to 6 News he is "a member of the Labor Party and have been since Keating was PM", but added that he is "not part of Community Labor but wish them well".
His signage simply says "Australian Labor Party" and does not specify that he is not endorsed by the party.
Fellow Saltwater candidate Aman Gaur, who is part of Community Labor and also running as a self-described "Progressive Labor candidate", told 6 News that "Community Labor refers to Labor Party members who are running for council in Maribyrnong but have not sought endorsement from the party. We have been clear about this with all constituents and media."
He referred us to his VEC statement, where he does indeed say he is "an active Labor Party member in our community".
Labor endorsed six candidates across all three Maribyrnong wards at the 2020 election.
Logo and branding shared by some
Although all Labor members (bar John Cumming) are running with "Community Labor", only a handful are using that specific logo. The word "Labor" in the logo is in the same font and style as the official ALP logo.
The first example of it was posted by Wattle Ward candidate Clint Lingard in August. He's also used branding simply describing himself as "Progressive Left Community" and a "Community candidate". Le has also called himself "Community for Maribyrnong", minus the word Labor. Gaur and Tiwari have both used the "Community Labor for Maribyrnong" logo.
But can the Labor logo actually used by these non-party-endorsed candidates?
Labor state MP for Footscray Katie Hall is endorsing Gaur. In response to a comment calling him an endorsed candidate, she wrote: "We have unendorsed candidates. Which just means in our party rules any Labor folk who want to run, can, but not use party branding. Aman is a progressive, Labor member."
Victorian Labor Party rules state "any Party member contesting an election for Public Office without Party endorsement shall not use the Party’s name or logo or in any way give the impression that they are an endorsed candidate or supported by the Party."
Gaur told 6 News that "this matter deals with the ALP Party Rules and is best addressed to the Vic Labor State Secretary".
It appears the other Community Labor candidates have opted for their own branding. It's largely red, although incumbent councillor Anthony Tran (who was elected as an independent until he joined Labor around December of last year) is using orange and black. None of them explicitly state "independent" in their branding.
Not the first time
Similar arrangements to Community Labor − that is, a party not endorsing but a local group running instead − have happened before.
In 2020, the Burwood Liberals endorsed for Boroondara, Monash and Whitehorse. They are not doing so this year, although while not officially endorsing (except for Melbourne City Council), the party has provided a number of Liberal members with a Canva template for election branding.
Also in 2020, Labor opted not to contest Darebin City Council. The "Labor Members for Darebin" group ran instead, along with other ALP members who contested as Independent Labor candidates.
Labor has returned to endorsing for Darebin this year, and are also doing so in Yarra, Melbourne, Merri-bek, Port Phillip, Whittlesea and Moonee Valley.
The Greens, Socialist Alliance, Libertarian Party, Victorian Socialists and Fusion Party are all endorsing in the 2024 elections. It appears the Freedom Party of Victoria is also not officially endorsing despite expressing interest in endorsing candidates late last year, although Alexander Ansalone (Hobsons Bay), Craig Baird (Casey) and Diane Teasdale (Greater Shepparton) are running and are all party members.
There are dozens of Independent Labor, Independent Liberal and Independent National candidates running statewide. 6 News understands there is also at least one Independent United Australia candidate (Patricia Isaac in Whittlesea), one Independent Family First candidate (Jane Foreman in Casey), one Independent DLP (Daniel Toncic in Melton), one Independent Australian Federation (Steven Threlfall in Greater Shepparton) and several Independent Libertarians who have put their hands up.