By LIAM DURKIN
“Wisely and slow; they stumble that run fast” – Romeo and Juliet (Act 2, Scene 3)
THEY might not make as much noise as their opponents, but the Greens are still very active on the run to November’s state election.
Greens candidate for Morwell Rochelle Hine has maintained from the outset that “it’s a marathon, not a sprint”.
Dr Hine has been campaigning quietly but surely, using her career in social work and academia to help advocate for the region.
She recently made a somewhat ironic visit to Traralgon Men’s Shed, touring the timber-heavy facility that is still in need of flood-proofing.
The shed sits at the very forefront of flood potential, as its location within Traralgon Showgrounds is right along a dip that turns the road into a lake whenever there is severe rainfall.
This was the case back in 2021, when the town was hit by some of the worst floods on record.
It took months to clean and repair not only the men’s shed, but Traralgon Football-Netball Club, Gippsland Roller Derby, and the local pigeon and agricultural sheds.
The football-netball club finally welcomed a new flood-proof facility this year, after some five years of stalled negotiations with Latrobe City Council and the state government. Roller derby has moved to Churchill.
The men’s shed is yet to receive any upgrade, something Dr Hine is pushing for.
In correspondence seen by the Express, Traralgon Men’s Shed has said “our strategic positions are clear”.
It reads:
The Traralgon Men’s Shed must be relocated to a safe, flood-free facility as a matter of urgency;
Latrobe City Council must commit to a relocation pathway and actively pursue available grant opportunities;
TMS is ready to proceed, with $120,000 committed and an $80,000 government grant secured;
Current conditions are unsafe, unsuitable and unacceptable for older men, retirees and vulnerable community members, and;
Government partnership is essential to protect community wellbeing and maintain vital services.
The shed requires members’ endorsement in order to proceed.
Plans were in place for a new community facility to be built just up the road at Glenview Park (Traralgon racecourse), yet such a move seems to have been placed in development hell.
Glenview Park currently houses horse and greyhound racing, and Traralgon Croquet Club.
Greyhound racing is banned in the ACT, while Tasmania is planning a phase-out by 2029.
Locally, the proposed Kilmany track is currently up in the air. The Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) has returned the proposal to Wellington Shire Council for reassessment of the project’s potential bushfire risk.
Sale & District Greyhound Racing Club remains committed to the project, which was originally given a planning approval by council in April 2025.
Dr Hine, who owns a rescue greyhound ‘Molly’, wants to see the project scrapped.
“With thousands of objections submitted to Wellington Shire Council by community members, this project has no social licence,” she said.
“To build a greyhound track on prime agricultural land with inadequate water and sewage facilities shows limited foresight.
“The Greens are calling for an end to the inhumane greyhound racing industry, which sees approximately 17,000 healthy dogs killed each year.
“More harm is caused through gambling addiction and loss.”
The Greens have had a bit on their plate recently (no pun intended), following the resignation of party leader Larissa Waters due to illness. This comes little more than a year after Adam Bandt lost his inner Melbourne seat.
Monash University (coincidentally where Dr Hine works) Associate Professor of Politics and International Relations, Dr Zareh Ghazarian said the party is facing an uphill battle, as momentum seems to be shifting toward the right.
“Australian politics has changed since Larissa Waters took the helm of the Greens in 2025. Back then, the party could have been considered the third force in national politics. Now, however, the party appears to have been overshadowed by a resurgent One Nation party,” Dr Ghazarian said.
“Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, Bob Brown became a focal point for Green politics in Australia. Leaders since then have had shorter stints in the top job, reflecting the broader fragility of Australian political leaders in the contemporary period.
“To say that the Australian Greens in 2026 are facing a challenging moment is an understatement.
“The party lost federal parliamentary representation in 2025, and their primary vote appears to be stagnating.”
Dr Hine ran for the Greens at the 2022 state election, attracting four per cent of the vote.
Away from politics, she can usually be found in the garden, or as the ‘basketball mum’ scoring at her son’s games.
