Exclusive: Failed lord mayoral candidate has campaigned before on platforms of forcing workers into the office and free coffeesFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe former AFL player and failed Melbourne lord mayoral candidate Anthony Koutoufides is considering a tilt at the Greens leader Adam Bandt’s seat at the upcoming federal election.A source close to the Carlton premiership player confirmed Koutoufides was approached to run as an independent in Melbourne and was expected to make a decision on his candidacy imminently, with the election due on or before 17 May.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email Continue reading…Exclusive: Failed lord mayoral candidate has campaigned before on platforms of forcing workers into the office and free coffeesFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe former AFL player and failed Melbourne lord mayoral candidate Anthony Koutoufides is considering a tilt at the Greens leader Adam Bandt’s seat at the upcoming federal election.A source close to the Carlton premiership player confirmed Koutoufides was approached to run as an independent in Melbourne and was expected to make a decision on his candidacy imminently, with the election due on or before 17 May.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email Continue reading…
The former AFL player and failed Melbourne lord mayoral candidate Anthony Koutoufides is considering a tilt at the Greens leader Adam Bandt’s seat at the upcoming federal election.
A source close to the Carlton premiership player confirmed Koutoufides was approached to run as an independent in Melbourne and was expected to make a decision on his candidacy imminently, with the election due on or before 17 May.
The source, who requested anonymity, would not disclose who made the approach.
Koutoufides made his first foray into politics at last year’s Melbourne local council elections, polling almost 13% to finish fourth on primary votes behind winner Nick Reece.
Heading up the “Team Kouta” ticket, which included the former Liberal MP Gladys Liu, the one-time Dancing with the Stars contestant campaigned on a pro-business platform that included forcing CBD workers back to the office at least four days a week.
He made other headline-grabbing pledges, including the offer of free coffees for office workers on Mondays.
The Age reported the “Team Kouta” ticket won just one seat on Melbourne city council despite spending $449,000, the bulk of which was contributed by Koutoufides’ running mate, the property developer Intaj Khan.
Koutoufides, who played 278 games for Carlton, flagged a possible tilt at state or federal politics after the council election campaign, declaring “I’ll be back”.
“I’ve got a taste for it, and I’m looking forward to the future,” he said in comments reported in the Herald Sun.
Bandt was first elected in 2010 and has since turned Melbourne into a Greens stronghold, winning almost 50% of the primary vote at the 2022 election.
After a record haul of four lower house seats at the 2022 federal election, the Greens suffered setbacks at last year’s Queensland and ACT elections, amid a hardline approach in Canberra.
In a statement to Guardian Australia, Bandt said: “I never take the seat of Melbourne for granted and will campaign hard whoever runs.
“I’ll be proud to run on my record of getting dental into Medicare for kids, securing workers the right to disconnect and delivering climate action.”
A Greens source noted the party’s Melbourne lord mayoral ticket secured more than 1,000 more first preference votes than the pro-business Team Kouta, despite a voting system that gives eligible businesses two votes compared to one for residents.
The source said a contest with Koutoufides would give the Greens a platform to talk about workers’ rights.
A Victorian Liberal source said something “catastrophic” would need to happen for Bandt to lose his seat.
But the source said the presence of a high-profile, cashed-up independent such as Koutoufides would be a distraction for Bandt and could force Greens campaigners to divert resources from the nearby seat of Wills, which it wants to win from Labor.
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