Why Carlton great Koutoufides is running for Lord Mayor of Melbourne

Carlton great Anthony Koutoufides has outlined why he has launched a bid to become Lord Mayor of Melbourne.

The former Blues star is keen to reinvigorate the once-burgeoning city which has arguably lost some of its aura since the 2020 and 2021 COVID lockdowns.

The 1995 premiership star, affectionately known as ‘Kouta’, explained how this has all came about after he was initially approached in 2023.

“I actually got approached last year, believe it or not,” Koutoufides said on SEN Breakfast.

“It just wasn’t the right timing for me. Then a few months back I was asked the question and thought, ‘this has got to be a joke, I’m not a politician’.

“As I delved deeper into it I realised that if you surround yourself with good people and you do something with heart and love that you can do a lot of things.

“When I look at the city and the surrounding suburbs of it, the Docklands is a ghost town, and with things that are happening right now it’s in dire straits.

“I had migrant parents and grew up in Lalor and Thomastown, spent so much time around the city whether it was bars, night clubs and restaurants. I rarely ever go there anymore, I think a lot of people are in the same boat at this point in time which is very sad.

“It was named how many years as the most liveable city in the world? Right now it’s certainly not that.”

Koutoufides plans on reigniting the hospitality world of Melbourne while addressing a lack of safety in the CBD and surrounding areas.

“I’ve really been inundated by a lot of people who are struggling out there, it’s very sad to see,” he added.

“There are restaurants that have closed after being open for 30 years and were iconic to the city. There’s people screaming, other people on their last legs, some with maybe three to six months left before they can’t afford to stay open anymore.

“We really have to do something. Safety is the other aspect as well. There’s so much going on in the city, you don’t realise because you don’t really travel in there as much. But it can be eerie.

“When you have people visit from other states you say, ‘mate, it’s not the city it once was before’.

“There’s a lot to be done.”

Koutoufides will run for Lord Mayor via an independent ticket and will challenge current Mayor Nick Reece who took over from Sally Capp in July.

Listen to Kouta on his plans below: