Lesley Pianella: On meaningful representation for a brighter future
Edited by Vivien Yii
Lesley Gabrielle Pianella has a deep connection with, and knowledge and understanding of Elwood and surrounds. As a lifelong local to the area, she has also liaised with many local residents through her work as a licensed estate agent and auctioneer. Describing herself as enthusiastic, progressive, and fiercely independent, Lesley is currently a young candidate for Canal Ward in the current City of Port Phillip council elections.
Lesley has previously worked across a number of sectors and is a highly-skilled communicator and negotiator. She considers herself to be conscientious, self-motivated and results-driven, as well as creative, collaborative and open-minded. She holds a Bachelor of Arts (Psychology and Forensic Science) and worked briefly as a junior journalist for The Mongol Messenger during a student internship in Ulan Bator, Mongolia. She has also worked in sales management, leading a fundraising team to raise a combined total of over $500,000 on behalf of organisations like the Australian Conservation Foundation, Environment Victoria, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders), Bush Heritage Australia and Plan International.
There are many aspects to Lesley’s life that make her the person that she is. To sum herself up, she says, “I’m a daughter, granddaughter, friend, millennial, adoptive greyhound mother, estate agent, advocate and realist who wants to make a difference in my community.”
“Young people are the future. There’s so much we can do to make sure that the future is brighter than the past.”
What inspired you to run in the City of Port Phillip?
As one of the 51,000 women and 57,000 young people who call Port Phillip home, I felt I had an obligation to represent them.
It is so important to have young women represented in politics. But sadly, young women are hugely underrepresented at a local government level across Victoria, including here in Port Phillip. We currently have no councillors under the age of 35 in Port Phillip, even though almost half of our residents are under 35 themselves. What’s more, two-thirds of our current councillors are men.
I thought about all of the brave women who’ve come before me, women who took bold risks to stand up for what they believed in and who fought for change and equality.
One hundred years ago this year, Mary Rogers was elected to Richmond City Council, becoming the first female councillor in Victoria. Since then, we’ve had many significant wins for gender equality, largely thanks to the women who refused to back down, but we've still got a long way to go and I refuse to stand by and leave it to somebody else.
I believe that there’s an important space that needs to be filled and I’m running to fill it.
What are the key causes and impact areas you are championing?
I'm standing for our people, our places and our planet.
My vision for Port Phillip is one where all members of our community are able to meet their needs, where opportunities and privileges are fairly distributed, and where local amenities, services, businesses and industries are supported and enhanced. My vision is for a Port Phillip where our policies and actions reflect and address the current climate crisis.
I'm committed to enhancing our health and wellbeing, protecting the most vulnerable members of our community, advocating for our early education and child care services and revitalising our arts and creative industries.
I'm dedicated to supporting sustainable initiatives to combat climate change by pursuing zero-emission policies, implementing recycling strategies and exploring opportunities for new and existing green, open spaces within our municipality.
I will champion recovery support for our local services, businesses and industries as we emerge from this global health and economic crisis and move to rebuild our lives over the coming months.
What is your message to other young people who may have thought about running, too?
If not you, then who?
I’ve always wanted to do something meaningful in my life, and not just the modern-day checklist of ‘get a degree, get a job, buy a house’ sort of thing, but more of a ‘leave the world better off than before you were in it’ type of thing.
I’ve won the lottery in life, there’s no denying that, and if you’re reading this then it’s likely you have too, so I actually don’t think we have the right not to stand up for change.
Young people are the future. There’s so much we can do to make sure that the future is brighter than the past.
I thought I had to wait until I was older, richer or more experienced to be a voice for change, but as I’m sure it has for a lot of people, this year has changed my perspective on many things.
I’m glad I haven’t waited because the world owes us nothing and we never know what’s around the corner.
If not now, then when?
Lesley Pianella is a candidate for Canal Ward in the City of Port Phillip council elections. Voting closes at 6pm, Friday 23 October, 2020.
You can follow Lesley’s campaign via Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LesleyGPianellaOfficial/
