People First Victoria

This is what fuel actually looks like.

Extraction → Refining → Storage → Transport → Distribution

Every step matters.
And if that chain is disrupted — everything stops.

A Defence-backed report by Cheryl Durrant (2019) highlighted that Australia is heavily reliant on imported fuel, and that shortages could hit within weeks in a major disruption, with supplies potentially depleted in less than 8 weeks.

Right now we are at week 3.

Fuel isn’t just an energy issue — it’s critical infrastructure.

If we can’t fuel:

transport
food supply
emergency services,

we don’t have a resilient country.

Infrastructure isn’t optional — it’s survival.

Victoria’s debt has increased by more than $10 billion in just six months.

That’s now sitting at around $160 billion — with billions more being paid every year in interest.

Most families don’t think in billions…
but they feel it every day:

• Higher taxes
• Rising cost of living
• Less room in the household budget
• More pressure on families

This isn’t just about spending — it’s about how our system is set up.

We have layers of government, overlapping responsibilities, and no clear accountability for outcomes.

And the cost of that inefficiency flows back to you.

At People First, we believe before asking Australians to pay more…
government should work better.

Less duplication.
More accountability.
Better outcomes.

Because the system should serve the people — not the other way around.

Victoria’s debt hits $160bn as interest bill soars Victoria’s debt pile has grown by $10bn in the past six months, with state debt now hitting $160bn.

If the policy doesn’t fit your family, why must your family fit the policy?

Families aren’t identical.
Work isn’t identical.
Life isn’t identical.

Some parents work nights.
Some work weekends.
Some live hours from a childcare centre.
Some want grandparents involved.
Some want to stay home longer.
Some simply know their child isn’t ready yet.

But the system says there’s only one “proper” model.

So parents stretch themselves thin.
They juggle. They stress. They feel guilty.
Not because they’re failing — but because the system wasn’t built around real life.

Support shouldn’t come with conditions that reshape families to suit policy.

Real support means trusting parents.
Real choice means flexibility.
Real fairness means recognising that what’s right for one family isn’t right for all.

Families shouldn’t have to bend to a system that refuses to bend for them.

Right now we are watching political momentum shift in many directions. When people feel unheard, uncertain or under pressure, they look for something — anything — that sounds strong, loud, or different. That reaction is human. But history shows us that desperation often drives decisions that inspiration never would.

Movements built on frustration can grow quickly. But lasting change is built on substance, discipline, and clear economic understanding.

In just over 12 months, Gerard has demonstrated what steady, service-driven leadership truly looks like — doing the hard policy work, asking the difficult questions, and holding political institutions to account on behalf of everyday Australians. This has not been about career politics or personal reward. It has been work carried out with a genuine sense of duty, often without the benefits or recognition many in public life seek. That kind of leadership may not dominate headlines, but it is exactly what strengthens a country.

It is easy in politics to be drawn toward popularity surges. But volume is not vision. Emotion is not a strategy. And loud voices do not always carry workable solutions.

What we are building requires patience, resilience and clarity of purpose. Real reform takes consistency. It takes people who remain grounded when others are swayed by the moment.

Your support matters because it represents belief in substance over spectacle, in economic credibility over slogans, and in steady progress over political theatre.

Stay focused. Stay informed. Stay steadfast.

That is how meaningful change is achieved.

Local Councillors Should Be Australian Citizens

Many Victorians are surprised to learn that Australian citizenship is not currently required to run for local council in Victoria.

Local councils are established under state law, and eligibility is linked to enrolment categories rather than nationality. Because the system historically focused on ratepayers and residents, not citizenship, a pathway exists where someone may stand for council without being an Australian citizen.

Local government today makes decisions that shape everyday life:

• planning and development
• rates and local charges
• infrastructure and roads
• community services
• local laws and safety

These are not minor matters. Councils influence how communities grow, what gets built, and how public resources are used.

⚠️ WHY THIS MATTERS NOW

Local councils increasingly deal with issues connected to:

• major development and land use
• infrastructure projects
• environmental and social policy settings
• community programs linked to external funding bodies

This has led to growing community concern about:

• foreign influence in local decision-making, and
• the expanding role of internationally connected NGOs and advocacy networks in shaping local policy directions.

Local democracy must remain accountable to Australian civic standards first.

Governance Framework

Eligibility rules are administered by the Victorian Electoral Commission under legislation passed by the Victorian Parliament. Councils themselves do not set these requirements.

This is not about individuals.
It is about ensuring the legal framework reflects modern expectations of democratic integrity.

✅ OUR POLICY

We support reform so that anyone standing for local council in Victoria must:

• be an Australian citizen

We do not propose a residency restriction — property owners and others connected to a municipality may still stand — but civic allegiance through Australian citizenship should be the minimum standard for holding public office.

This ensures:

✔️ Clear civic commitment to Australia
✔️ Stronger democratic accountability
✔️ Reduced risk of foreign or externally driven influence
✔️ Alignment between local office and national democratic principles

This is not exclusion.
It is a basic democratic safeguard:

If you hold public office in Australia, you should be an Australian citizen.

Join the movement.

Gerard Rennick People First Official website for Gerard Rennick People First Party.