Q&A: Chris Jobe, Victorian Socialists

EXPERIENCE

1. Tell us a little about yourself. Where did you grow up, where do you live now, and what brought you to the Bass electorate?

My wife Jeni and I live in Bass township with our two kids and two dogs. In early December, our eldest who lives in Melbourne is expecting our very first grandchild. We started our family in Melbourne, but we both felt a desire to raise our children outside of the city, settling in Bass Coast where Jeni was born and raised, close to both sets of parents. I am a public school teacher in Wonthaggi, a proud member of the Australian Education Union and multi-instrumentalist musician. I am a member of two iconic musical outfits, Wonthaggi Citizens Band and the Invy Horn Jam, and can often be found at open mike events around the region.

2. What work have you done before entering politics?

Before undertaking a education degree in 2010, I mainly did clerical and call centre work to subsidise a moderately successful, but far from lucrative musical career. For the last decade or so, I have worked in public schools in the Bass Coast, Cranbourne and Pakenham regions, as well a couple of stints in remote Northern Territory.

3. What experience or qualities would you bring to the job of being the MP for Bass?

I often joke that my experience working with children makes me more than qualified to work in the houses of parliament! In all seriousness, my work experience has always been centred around listening deeply to people. Whether it is in a call-centre or a classroom, going out of my way to truly understand what the person I’m listening to needs, while using creative problem-solving to deliver outcomes that exceed their expectations has always been something I’m proud of.

POLITICAL

4. Have you been a candidate in state or federal elections before? If yes, please give details.

I was the Greens candidate for the federal seat of Isaacs in 2010 under my maiden name Chris Carman, and have been an upper house support candidate for the Greens in 2010 and 2014. This is my first candidacy with the Victorian Socialists.

5. When did you join your party and why?

In my time at the Greens, I found myself drawn to the South Brisbane branch. Their politics was overtly socialist and based around public advocacy and collective action. A few years ago, my son introduced me to the housing advocate Purple Pingers (aka Jordan van den Lamb). When I learned that he was the lead Senate candidate for Victorian Socialists in the 2025 federal election, I began to look into them. I found them to be more aligned with my vision of what defiant socialist politics might look like and the qualities that drew me to the South Brisbane Greens.

6. Why did you decide to stand for Parliament at this election?

When I joined Victorian Socialists there was no active branch in Bass, so I began volunteering for the candidates in Dandenong and Cranbourne. When the party announced internally their aim to run candidates in all 88 lower house seats, there was really only one person available to put their hand up. That person was me! I saw great value in giving every Victorian the opportunity to vote for a party that is building a grassroots movement willing to stand up to the billionaire hoarding class and demand a fair distribution of Victoria’s wealth.

7. What is the single major issue for you at this election?

I find it difficult to narrow it down to one major issue as there are so many challenges facing ordinary Victorians that could easily be resolved by our governments if only the will was there. If asked to highlight one, I would say protecting both the Westernport Woodlands and Western Port Bay from the senseless exploitation of greedy corporations and property developers is absolutely critical. The bay is not only home to unique wetlands and abundant biodiversity, it is also home to a thriving tourist economy that is dependent on the preservation of its health and sustainability, and a place where people fish for recreation and livelihood. The implementation of the Western Port Bay Framework is vital to preserving this natural reserve for future generations.

8. Which three of your party’s policies do you believe will most benefit people in the Bass electorate?

Applying aggressive taxation reform that targets the billionaire class and removing arbitrary loopholes designed to make it easier for them to hoard more and more wealth. This increased revenue can be used to expand public housing and properly fund public schools, childcare, hospitals, transport, aged-care, disability services, roads and so on.

Reversing privatisation and outsourcing of public responsibilities to private operators will significantly reduce the cost to the taxpayer and greatly increase efficiency and quality. Royal Commissions and parliamentary inquiries consistently find that privatisation, outsourcing, and an increasing dependence on contractors have contributed to often disastrous failures in public services.

The creation of a publicly owned construction firm to build public housing alongside a state-owned bank that offers low interest rates will greatly reduce homelessness, significantly lower rents and make owning a home more achievable for the majority of working Victorians that have been priced out of the market.

9. The Bass electorate includes areas of Melbourne’s outer suburban fringe through farming country to coastal towns and Phillip Island. How would you make sure the very different interests of all these communities are heard and represented?

Victorian Socialists policies are centred around a Universal Living Guarantee designed to ensure that everyone can live comfortably. While the communities of Bass have their differences, we all share common needs; a roof over our heads, healthy food, access to utilities and health services, and time to spend with friends and family or pursuing our personal hobbies and interests. Each one of these has been impacted by the commodification of our basic needs. It does not need to be this way. The Victorian Socialists aim is to put community at the centre of decision-making, regardless of geography, employment or lifestyle. We need to put People Before Profit.

10. This electorate has some of Victoria's most significant coastal areas, wetlands, woodlands and wildlife habitat. How do you see the balance between protecting the environment and accommodating housing, industry, agriculture and population growth?

The Western Port Bay Framework shares the Victorian Socialists principle of centring communities, local businesses, fishing and recreational groups, and Traditional Custodians when deciding the long-term future of the bay. For over half a century, conservation groups have time and again successfully and stoically resisted the desire of corporations to exploit the bay through reckless environmental vandalism. This has come at great expense to locals who simply want to preserve the unique area for future generations. It is time to give the power back to the community.

VALUES

11. Political decisions often involve competing interests. What personal values would guide your decision making?

When I was 10 years old, Bob Geldof and Band Aid brought the image of malnourished children to our TV screens. My family was quite poor by regional Victorian standards, but we always had food and were rarely hungry. My compassion led me to ask my mum to help me raise money by doing a fun run that never got close to happening, thus beginning a lifelong desire to serve. I have always put fairness above all. As an advocate for the people of Bass, I would ask whether the decisions our governments are making actually benefit our communities first and foremost.

12. Is there something you believe in strongly enough to stand up for, even when it might be unpopular with voters, or go against your party platform?

“Trans and gender diverse people, including young people, have the right to access gender-affirming healthcare, fully funded and free from political interference”. I am so proud to represent a party that makes this statement as a part of its LGBTQI+ policy. There is a lot of misinformation about gender diversity being put out there by bad faith actors. The evidence is clear: Gender-affirming care saves lives and greatly improves the well-being of gender diverse people. I will always stand by you and fight for you.

PERSONAL

13. What do you like most about living in the Bass electorate?

I was originally drawn to move to Bass Coast by a desire for my children to live close to their grandparents. Having moved here, I have made lifelong friendships within the vibrant arts and music communities. I have also worked in all but four of the public primary schools in Bass from Clyde to Inverloch. Everywhere I go I come across current and former students and their families. I would definitely say my favorite thing about Bass is the people

14. Where do you take visitors on their first visit to our region?

Rhyll Inlet. I don’t get out there enough. I went with my eldest son about two months ago for the first time since COVID. It reminded me how the Island was my family’s refuge during the lockdowns. Jeni and I spent our allotted outdoor time walking Rhyll Inlet and Oswin Roberts Reserve while the kids tore off on their bikes. I love walking along those boardwalks and soaking in the energy of the mangroves, taking in the view from the lookout, and watching the wildlife. It is such a beautiful part of the world.

15. Do you have a pet project that you hope to achieve as the MP for Bass?

I want to see the Old Tech site in Wonthaggi turned into a community arts and social hub that brings people together to create intergenerational bonds and contribute to the wellbeing of the community. The people of Wonthaggi have a deep connection to the Old Tech site going back well over a century. It would be devastating if it was lost to private development, or the buildings demolished to make way for yet another Big Build. The Victorian Socialists support using whatever mechanisms available to ensure the site remains in community hands and to protect it from future governments that can simply change laws to make it easier to benefit private interests.

16. If you weren’t campaigning, what would you rather be doing on a Sunday morning?

I might be found composing a song or attempting to master a new instrument. I might also be snuggling with the dogs on the couch and chatting with the family. Sunday mornings I can often be found in South Drop having a coffee or one of their killer toasties while catching up with friends and regulars. I might also be on my way up to Melbourne to a Victorian Socialists event, because campaigning with VS is as much a part of my social life as it is about building a force for social change. It is fulfilling to be surrounded by people who believe we can and should have a better world.