Greens candidate Karl Hessian withdraws from City of Melbourne election race

First-time Greens candidate for the City of Melbourne Karl Hessian has been forced to withdraw from October’s election because he hadn’t received his Australian citizenship in time to nominate.

Mr Hessian, a New Zealand citizen who has been living in Melbourne since 1997, was expected to run in the second position on The Greens councillor ticket alongside current councillor Dr Olivia Ball, who is running in the number one spot.

With The Greens having been historically successful in contributing two councillors to the City of Melbourne, Mr Hessian was largely tipped to be elected and replace three-term outgoing Cr Rohan Leppert.

However, in a note on its website, The Greens stated that while all of its candidates had nominated for council on Thursday, September 12, Mr Hessian “hadn’t received his Australian citizenship by that time so he couldn’t nominate”.

It means Parkville Gardens resident and orthoptist Aaron Moon has been elevated into the party’s second councillor position, and North Melbourne public housing resident and youth leader Barry Berih moves up to third.

Aaron Moon (left) will replace Karl Hessian (right) in second position on The Greens councillor ticket. Photo: Hanna Komissarova.

Mr Hessian, a resident of West Melbourne who works in IT in the early childhood education and care sector, said while he was “devastated” not to be able to run, the party would now move forward with its contingency plan.

Admittedly having lived as an “interloper” in Australia since 1997, he said he had never addressed the fact he wasn’t a citizen until making the decision to run for the City of Melbourne.

The Greens leadership ticket is still being led by candidate for Lord Mayor in North Melbourne resident and midwife Roxane Ingleton and its candidate for Deputy Lord Mayor – mental health peer support worker Marley McRae McLeod.