Former Geelong councillor eyes Lara seat

A former Geelong councillor is returning to the campaign trail, fronting a Socialist Alliance bid to contest every lower-house seat across the region in November’s state election.

Sarah Hathway will contest the seat of Lara, while the party has also endorsed candidates for Bellarine, Geelong and South Barwon.

“Socialist Alliance is determined to put up an alternative for progressive voters throughout the whole Geelong region,” Hathway said.

“Our team will present positive policies that are anti-racist and anti-war, pro-environment and for growth in the public sector catering to peoples’ needs not profit.”

Hathway, who works in community mental health services as a social worker, was elected to the City of Greater Geelong council in 2023 following a countback triggered by the resignation of Kylie Grzybek.

 

 

She was unsuccessful in seeking re-election in 2024.

“I have campaigned against racism and for First Nations rights,” she said of her time with the council. “I helped to get public housing back on the agenda and to revitalise public spaces.”

It will be Hathway’s second time contesting the seat of Lara. She first ran in 2022, receiving 2.6 per cent of first preference votes. The seat was comfortably won by Labor’s Ella George by a margin of 15.9 per cent.

Hathway appeared again in last year’s federal poll, running as a candidate in the electorate of Corio, where she received 2.9 per cent of first preference votes. The seat, considered a Labor stronghold, was easily retained by Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles.

 

 

Hamlyn Heights painter and decorator Brenden Grull will run for the seat of Geelong, which is has been held by Labor MP Christine Couzens since 2014. Couzens increased her margin by 4.5 per cent to 14.7 per cent in the 2022 state poll.

“Brenden is a young father,” Hathway said. “He has been active in a range of campaigns across Geelong where he has defended community services, environmental issues, public housing and opposed racism and war.”

Student and activist, Dom Williams, will contest Bellarine, another long-held Labor seat.

“He is strongly pro-public education and has campaigned against racism and for disability rights,” Hathway said.

Meanwhile, Freya Hedley, a trans woman from Highton, will run for South Barwon.

“She currently works in the service industry, does freelance tech support and volunteers at the Outpost – a homeless service in Geelong,” Hathway said. “Freya campaigns tirelessly for the LGBTQIA+ community and against its victimisation.”

 

 

The seat of South Barwon is held by now-independent MP Darren Cheeseman, who was forced to resigned from the Labor party in 2024 amid allegations of misconduct towards staff.

Hathway said the party’s campaign would centre on cost-of-living pressures and support for vulnerable communities.

“We are all activists, and we want to help build this community so that it can fight for better standards of living, more public housing and serious improvements in health and education,” she said.

“We are sick of seeing migrants, first nations, queers and other vulnerable communities targeted and blamed as the cost-of-living spirals out of control.

“The reality is that big business is doing just fine while workers and the environment are suffering.”