Jordan van den Lamb

Hi, I’m Jordan. I’m running in this year’s state election as the Victorian Socialists candidate for Melbourne.

For years, I’ve been exposing how broken our housing system is through my website shitrentals.org and my work online as 'purplepingers'. I’ve visited people living in houses blackened by mould or with exposed asbestos who know that that's just the price you pay to (barely) afford to live near the city. Meanwhile, there are more than enough empty homes across the city to house everyone homeless or in need.

Melbourne is run for the rich. Elections are even rigged in their favour – state law gives businesses and landlords two votes in Melbourne City Council elections, while ordinary people get one. At the same time, bulk-billed medical care has almost disappeared, and public institutions like our museums and the State Library are consistently under attack. Property developers, banks and big corporations make a killing while working-class people are forced to choose between housing, food and healthcare.

It doesn’t have to be like this. It’s a lie that we can’t afford decent housing, a genuine climate transition, or properly funded schools, hospitals and public transport. We could cut politicians’ $200,000-plus salaries and impose real taxes on the super-rich. Or, instead of pouring resources into jailing the most vulnerable in society and dragging activists through the courts, we could target the real criminals – property hoarders who leave homes empty or lease out unsafe, overpriced rentals.

I’m a CPSU delegate and have worked as a public servant in Melbourne for six years. I’ve stood with workers and communities against cuts to Cohealth and the State Library, supported striking Woolworths warehouse workers, and used my platform to back campaigns to free Palestine, oppose racism, and shut down fossil fuels.

If elected in November, I’ll fight for a city that puts people before profit.