Tony Briffa

03/01/2025

I’m looking forward to our granddaughters spending some time with us today. I’ve decided we’ll do some baking together. Manja has planned some art activities with them too! ❤️ 🧁

15/12/2024

Our local libraries caring for residents during hot days. We started this a few years ago and it’s great to seeing it still going!

😅 Beat the Heat 🌞

As the temperatures rise, we’ve got you covered! Stop by our libraries for free fruit and water to help you stay refreshed and energised. 🍎💧

We are also extending our opening hours at selected branches this evening so you can stay cool for longer.

📌Williamstown Library
📌Altona Meadows Library
📌Altona Library

The above branches will be open until 8pm this evening.

Come and relax in our air conditioning, read a newspaper, grab a summer read, or get help with any Council queries. See you there!

07/11/2024

*** Hobsons Bay City Council Elections ***

Congratulations to the new Councillors-elect for Hobsons Bay who were elected with a majority vote (no need for preferences):

- Diana Grima (Altona Meadows Ward)
- Paddy Keys-MacPherson (Laverton Ward)
- Lisa Bentley (Williamstown Ward)
- Michael Disbury (Williamstown North Ward)

The remaining wards will have voting preferences distributed today, so we’ll find out later who the Councillors will be for the Altona, Altona North and Spotswood Wards.

I wish the new and returning councillors well and wish them - and our community - a very successful and collaborative council term.

PS. The latest count details are provided below.

28/09/2024

Daria Kellander – Liberal for Williamstown or Independent for Altona?

Daria Kellander claims to be an independent candidate for Altona Ward in the Hobsons Bay City Council elections in October 2024, but is she really an independent? Is she being supported by developers?

Two years ago Kellander was the Liberal Candidate for Williamstown – as you can see from her campaign images below. She associates with the extreme right wing of the Liberal Party, including disgraced former Liberal MP Moira Deeming, and some of her campaign material reveals links with a local real-estate agent / developer. Does this pass the pub test? Is this someone you want on the council?

She is standing candidates across all council wards to take over the council. In Williamstown North Ward, for example, she has her friend Alexander Ansalone standing as an independent. Ansalone was a candidate for the Freedom Party in the last state election, and a candidate for the Australian Federation Party in the last federal election.

Voters get the council and the representatives they vote for, but are voters really told the truth?

The candidates for Altona Ward are as follows:

BROWN, Irene – Political Party Candidate – endorsed by the Animal Justice Party

KELLANDER, Daria – Liberal Candidate for Williamstown in the 2022 State election. Daria opposed successive capital works budgets including funding for local improvements to the foreshore, clubs, drainage, reserves, shopping strips, etc. Her campaign has links to developers. Kellander has also been found guilty of misconduct twice, and suspended from office earlier this year.

MILLER, Susan – Political Party Candidate – endorsed by the Victorian Socialists

PAULL, Phillip – Ally of Daria Kellander and likely to be standing to support her with preferences.

RIPPON, Tim – Independent Candidate and local Altona resident. Local Justice of the Peace, member of local clubs (including the Altona Lions) and runs a nursing business.

Having considered all these candidates I encourage voters to VOTE 1 Tim RIPPON.

https://briffa.org/daria-kellander-liberal-for-williamstown-or-independent-for-altona

Authorised by Tony Briffa, PO Box 51, Altona VIC 3018

28/09/2024

Councillor Peter Hemphill has been suspended by an independent arbiter for the longest period possible due to a misconduct. Follow the link for more information including a link to the official decision.

I have been putting up with inappropriate behaviour from Cr Hemphill for years without lodging any formal complaints, including Cr Hemphill spreading false information about me. I'm glad I decided to finally pursue complaints about his behaviour and that he was found to have breached conduct rules on every account I raised.

Please note that there were no legal fees associated with these complaints. I represented myself.

https://briffa.org/cr-peter-hemphill-suspended-for-several-misconducts

Hobsons Bay City Council

06/08/2024

With nominations for the council elections opening in 5 weeks, I would like to share with you my decision that has been in the making for 12 months. I will not be seeking election to the Hobsons Bay City Council for a fifth term. My time as a Councillor will therefore end on 26 October 2024.

This decision comes after considerable reflection on my career, family and future. I have been involved in local council issues and advocacy for 23+ years. Prior to being elected to the Council I served as Convenor of the Hobsons Bay Residents' Association advocating for residents and even representing them at VCAT on planning issues. I was elected to the Council in 2008, 2012, 2016 and 2020 and served as Deputy Mayor three times. I am honoured to have also served as mayor twice; most recently in 2022-2023.

As a Mayor, Deputy Mayor and Councillor I have had the privilege of working with many incredible colleagues, council staff, dedicated community leaders, community groups, businesses and residents. Together, we have improved our community through upgrades to the foreshore, reserves, sporting facilities, playgrounds, shared paths, shopping strips, public toilets, kindergartens, libraries, dog parks, other infrastructure and much more. We’ve improved accessibility and ensured the council's policies, plans and community services are inclusive of everyone irrespective of age, disability, s*x, gender identify, race, faith, s*xual orientation and s*x characteristics. As Mayor I also had the privilege of conferring citizenship to hundreds of residents.

I am very grateful to the community for the incredible support I have enjoyed including the amazing results at every election. Your support and active participation have been essential in everything I’ve done in the council, and for that, I am profoundly grateful. I’m especially grateful to my friends in the Residents’ Association who have always been there to guide, challenge and support me. They are friendships that I’m sure will endure.
I am also indebted to my family for their support during my years on the Council; especially my lovely wife. I know it's been very difficult for her at times - particularly when people are unkind about my s*xuality, s*x, gender or inters*x variation. I’m looking forward to spending more time with her and other members of our family, and to having a more private life.
While I am excited about the new chapter ahead, I will always carry with me fond memories of my time on the Council and a deep appreciation for the opportunity to serve our local community.

Thank you for sharing this journey with me, and please stay in touch.

Warmest regards,

Tony

P.S. I wanted to acknowledge and thank people individually in this message but there are so many people I am grateful to for their support. I hope you all know who you are. ❤

03/08/2024

It’s great to see so many Australian sports champions and even mainstream media coming out publicly to support the Algerian woman boxer and correcting the misinformation spread widely against her over the last day or so.

If you have shared any of the misinformation on social media please correct it. It’s the decent thing to do. 💜💛

Inters*x women exist and always have. Equality Australia stands with inters*x women against the hateful misogynistic attacks and deeply offensive commentary of the last few days.

The hate and personal interrogation of Olympic boxers Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting is appalling, inappropriate and sends a message to inters*x people everywhere that they can’t participate safely in sport or in public life more generally. These women deserve the dignity of not having their personal medical information disclosed publicly amidst a global media storm and have not disclosed whether they have an inters*x variation and shouldn’t have to.

Inters*x people are born with innate variations of their s*x characteristics; 2 in 100 people are born inters*x.

Inters*x people deserve respect and dignity, and we join inters*x organisations calling for an end to the hate on show across the world right now.

22/07/2024

I’m very proud and grateful for the work and achievements of Equality Australia, and the many community members that support their campaigns. Thanks Anna and team!! ❤️🧡💛💚🩵💙💜

25/06/2024

LOL!!!!

The Poo Poo Song For Children | Kids Songs About PooThis is a Baby Bumble TV original song all about Poo, it's a fun song that we enjoyed making and we hope ...

04/06/2024

Today marks 2 months since Manja experienced seizures and was diagnosed with a large brain tumour. Her surgical team wasted no time in treating her and removed most of the tumour the next day. Unfortunately the tumour was not benign and Manja will undergo significant radiation treatment when she's recovered well enough from her surgery. It’s been a challenging time but Manja is remaining positive and is getting the very best of care.

We appreciate the many kind messages, cards and flowers Manja’s received over this time. They have buoyed our spirits and shown us that we’re not alone in this. Thank you. ❤

We’re also very grateful to have such a supportive family and amazing friends. We can’t thank you all enough.

As we get into the next phase of treatment we’re likely to step back from posting about treatment or even wanting to discuss it. We appreciate everyone's kind wishes but to keep in the right mindset it’s best this challenge doesn’t consume every part of our lives and doesn’t form the basis for our interactions with people. Manja is also a private person so she needs her space to deal with what she’s going through.

We also appreciate that people are well intentioned when they offer advice or opinions about alternate treatments and therapies, but for our peace of mind (no pun intended) please kindly accept that we have all the specialist and holistic advice we need.

People who know me well know how committed I am to my various roles, so you won’t be surprised to know I am still working full time and undertaking my various council commitments after hours. I am very fortunate that my jobs have a degree of flexibility which is especially appreciated at this time.

Thank you again for your love, support and kind wishes for Manja. I'm very sad that Manja is going through this and will continue to do anything I can to support her. ❤