Werribee: left to rot by Labor
Werribee, known for its zoo and mansion, is a booming suburb located 30 kilometres from the Melbourne city centre. Labor has represented the area at a state level since 2002, during which the population has doubled. Despite this growth, the working-class residents of Werribee have been left to rot, abandoned by the very political party that claims to represent them.
As a social worker in the area, I have seen these issues firsthand. I have watched families struggling to survive in a system that fails them repeatedly. Whether it’s finding affordable housing, waiting months for medical care or struggling to navigate broken public transport systems, I’ve witnessed families unable to access the basics of life. I’ve seen parents break down over their inability to afford school supplies for their children or make impossible choices between paying rent and buying food. These are not isolated incidents. They are the result of a system that leaves the working class to fend for itself while the powers that be prioritise corporate profits and marginal seats.
In the lead-up to the 8 February Werribee by-election, many candidates have jumped upon the fear-mongering narrative of rising youth crime and community safety, pushing for an increased police presence and harsher laws as the solution.
Victorian Labor has already allocated $419 million to the construction of the Cherry Creek Youth Detention Centre in Little River, part of the seat of Werribee. The original plan was to build it in Werribee South, but the location was changed after a protest by more than 3000 residents in 2017.
The government has also funnelled $271 million into building the Wyndham Law Courts, right next to the Werribee Police Complex. The new courts, which will house a Children’s Court and a Magistrates Court, are set to become the largest of their kind in Victoria outside Melbourne’s CBD.
While hundreds of millions are funnelled into the punishment of young people, the same cannot be said for the critical services that could help prevent crime and build a sense of community. The lack of investment in community infrastructure deepens the alienation that contributes to anti-social behaviour. Without safe, accessible spaces for recreation, education or social engagement, young people are more likely to be drawn into criminal activity and substance abuse.
In Werribee, the Kelly Park Community Centre, one of two library and community hubs in the area, is set for demolition following a fire, despite an overwhelming majority of residents voting for its restoration. Many residents argue that the decision to demolish the centre is not necessary, but the result of poor management and official disregard for the role the centre played in the community. Before the fire, it was the heart of social life for youth, the elderly and cultural communities, offering a safe space and essential services.
Despite its central role, the council has claimed that restoring it is financially unviable. The rebuild was estimated at $8 million—with the $690 million spent on the new detention centre and courts, the state government could build 82 new community centres and 20 new libraries. Funds are instead spent by the state on repressive measure that criminalise and isolate the very communities in need of support.
It’s the same story with other infrastructure: there is only one aquatic centre per 48,000 residents in the City of Wyndham, which takes in Werribee, compared to one per 5,000 residents in inner Melbourne. The proportion of households in the west that include children is higher than the state-wide average (52.1 percent compared to 45.5 percent), yet library access is much worse. There are only 1.48 libraries per 100,000 residents in Wyndham, compared to 5.64 per 100,000 in Stonnington in the inner east or 5.46 in inner city Yarra.
The issue of chronic underfunding goes beyond libraries and community centres. It also extends to health and education. Mercy Hospital Werribee is smaller than most metropolitan hospitals and has the longest emergency wait times in the state, 60 percent of patients not being seen within the recommended time frame.
There are likewise only two public high schools in Werribee, serving a population of 50,00. Before recent repairs of Werribee Secondary College, the schools were plagued by crumbling infrastructure, with some buildings infested with maggots and posing serious fire hazards. I’ve seen firsthand the challenges faced by teachers. They are routinely tasked with overcrowded classrooms and given limited resources to support children living in poverty, dealing with trauma and often coming from migrant backgrounds. Teachers are stretched thin, overworked and struggling to meet the needs of their students. As a result, already vulnerable children are not receiving the quality education they deserve. According to the Department of Education, the Wyndham area has one of the highest teacher vacancy rates in Victoria.
Public transport is also woefully inadequate, the area being served by just one train line and an unreliable bus system. As a result, 80 percent of households are forced to own two cars, a significant expense made necessary by the lack of public transport.
While the government continues to funnel resources into punitive measures like new prisons and courts, it neglects desperately needed investments in housing, public transport and essential infrastructure. Property developers, meanwhile, profit from poorly planned urban sprawl that leaves working-class communities to suffer the consequences.
The upcoming by-election will be a chance for residents to send a message to the Labor government. Victorian Socialists are contesting the seat and offer a radically different agenda to the major parties. The party’s candidate, Sue Munro, is a parent and nurse and is committed to fighting for the rights of Werribee’s working-class residents. The real change we need won’t come from the same political forces that have failed us for decades—it will come from a movement dedicated to putting people before profit and challenging the systems that takes working-class people for granted.
