by Cam Lucadou-Wells
Springvale South Ward low-profile incumbent Loi Truong will be in the fight of his political life against at least two strong community-based rivals at the upcoming Greater Dandenong council elections in October.
Cr Truong has held the seat since 2008. However the ALP member appears vulnerable, having won the previous election in 2020 by just 90 votes after preferences.
As a councillor, he keeps a quiet, reclusive profile during debates and reports at council meetings. He attended between “75-90” per cent of meetings, according to his own candidate statement for the Victorian Electoral Commission.
Last week, Cr Truong told Star Journal that he was “too busy” to speak about his re-election tilt but would be ready in the next week or so.
Cr Truong’s main opposition appears to be outspoken migration agent Thayhorn Yim and multicultural services mentor and director Andy Tran.
“Springvale South has been neglected for too long,” says Yim, who ran against Cr Truong in the 2020 election.
“Many residents have raised issues with me. They are thinking that they haven’t got a councillor representing them.”
Yim has featured frequently in Star Journal advocating for asylum seekers and refugees. He notes while the council has plans for revitalizing Springvale’s CBD, there was nothing for its “poor cousin” Springvale South.
“Other councillors have fought hard to get projects in their wards, like to get the Dandenong Community Hub up.
“I hope the residents will see I’m a strong voice.”
If elected, Yim’s priorities would be to modernize and beautify the Athol Road shopping complex and the Coomoora Reserve sports facilities, including an “out of date” pavilion.
He would also work towards Springvale South – with its wealth of spectacular temples and a revitalized shopping strip – being a potential tourist destination.
Yim also called for a boost to problem-gambling services and a research trial on poker machine controls.
He and rival candidate Andy Tran have also nominated community safety as a major issue for residents.
Both point to under-reporting of crime, leading to police being allocated less resources than required.
A member of the council’s crime prevention committee, Yim says it’s partly due to language and cultural barriers in the predominantly Asian community.
“They tend to leave it to the authorities to look after them.”
Residents were also disheartened by police not responding promptly to reported crimes, Yim says.
Election rival Tran – who recently raised the issue in Star Journal – says many “scared” elderly residents were being targeted by bag-snatchers and thieves at Springvale South shopping centre.
A “horrible” example was a group of three or four assailants recently grabbing the jewellery chain off a victim’s neck.
“I get worried if we accept it as a norm, and it shouldn’t be. We shouldn’t allow this sort of thing to happen,” Tran says.
“We’ve got to make sure the community is confident to go out without fear of being robbed.”
Tran is active with Monash Health public health unit as well as an Afri Aus Care board member, Springvale Indo-Chinese Mutual Assistance Association (SICMAA) public officer and a Noble Park-Dingley Rotary Club member.
He says there were still many positives in Springvale – and backs the council’s Springvale Revitalisation Plan – but it had “gone backwards” over the past decades.
Tran called for more funding for Neighbourhood Watch to provide in-language information for non-English-speaking background residents, as well as more CCTV at Athol Road shops and lighting.
With some fanfare, Tran’s campaign was launched jointly with Labor deputy mayor Richard Lim and Springvale Central Ward candidate Minh Le.
The launch was attended by other Labor candidates Jim Memeti, Zahra Haydarbig as well as mayor Lana Formoso. The alliance was aimed at unseating sitting Labor councillors Truong and Sean O’Reilly.
However, Lim was later ruled ineligible to stand for election in Springvale North Ward due to not being listed on the ballot.
Tran shares deputy mayor Lim’s vision of making Springvale a “world tourist destination” and improving car parking and traffic flow in Springvale and surrounds.
“Hopefully Minh and I can get a fresh face and a working relationship in the council to gain common ground and good results.”
Tran says he’s a member of an undisclosed political party but that he’s “not really a politician”. “I’m here for the community.”
Meanwhile, Lim has previously stood for election as a Labor member. He’s declined to declare a political affiliation for October’s race.
One of the Springvale South candidates Jenny Yen Thai appears to be a running mate for Cr Truong.
A Springvale South resident, Thai is a volunteer at charity South Eastern Melbourne Vietnamese Associations Council (SEMVAC) – where Cr Truong is also active.
And she will be preferencing Cr Truong, according to her campaign manager and SEMVAC president Kim Son Vu.
Thai works as a receptionist at Kim Son Vu’s medical clinic.
Vu is also campaign manager for beautician and SEMVAC volunteer Huong Dinh in Springvale North Ward.
Their election platform will be curbing council-rate rises and fixing the spate of road potholes, Vu said.
