Here are the commitments made by Tony Athanasopolous’ for the 2016 elections in his candidate statement:
I believe in a council where your rates are low and you get proper service for your money. Cleaner streets. Well maintained footpaths and trees. And better local roads. I want our council to stand up for you to stop overdevelopment You deserve active representation. Your Councillor should be open and someone who fights for your equal share of our resources. I live in Carnegie and proudly run a family business, Liana James Hair & Beauty on Koornang Road. We have been in business in Glen Eira for 16 years. I am the Chairperson of the Carnegie Traders Association, I’ve worked closely with the Murrumbeena Scope House (disability support) and I’m currently the President of the Chrisalis Foundation helping people living with a disability. I’m passionate about our community and helping others. I will: fight to keep your rates low; stop over development; ensure maintenance of skyrail; provide more local parking; clean up shopping areas and be your strong voice on council. I would be honoured if you voted 1 for me and after that, consider two other outstanding candidates Jane Karslake and David Box.
Residents will need to decide how well these ‘promises’ have been carried out!
In the four years he has been on council, our reckoning is that he has missed at least 11 council meetings – that is almost a year’s worth of formal council meetings. Hence close to a 25% absentee rate. More importantly, he has voted in favour of the officer recommendations for all of the following contentious planning issues – many in the face of a huge community outcry (ie Elsternwick Structure Plan in particular):
Bentleigh structure plan
Carnegie structure plan
Elsternwick structure plan
Quality Design guidelines
Glen Huntly Structure Plan (both versions)
Parking Policy
East Village Structure Plan
Inkerman Road Bike Path
On individual planning applications, he has either moved or seconded the approval for permits on the following: (the dates indicate the respective council meetings)
1110-1112 Dandenong Road, Carnegie– Part three and part four storey building comprising of 38 dwellings above two levels of basement car parking (20/12/2016)
153 Poath Road, Murrumbeena – Four storey building comprising a shop and 10 dwellings above basement car parking (20/12/2016)
360 Neerim Road, Carnegie – Four storey building comprising ground floor shop and 16 dwellings (28/2/2017)
1254-1258 Glen Huntly Road, Carnegie – A 6 storey building comprising a shop, cafe and 79 dwellings above a basement car park. Resolution was for 5 storeys. (21/3/2017)
248 Jasper Road, McKinnon – Four storey building comprising a food and drink premise, four (4) dwellings and the waiver of the car parking requirement for the food and drink premise. (12/4/2017)
102 & 102A Balaclava Road, Caulfield North – Three storey building comprising 8 dwellings above basement car parking. (23/5/2017)
532 North Road, Ormond – Five storey building comprising a retail premises and six dwellings. (23/5/2017)
1A Kokaribb Road, Carnegie – Six storey building comprising a shop and 12 dwellings above basement. (23/5/2017)
16-18 Hamilton Street, Bentleigh – 4 storey. 29 dwellings (13/6/2017)
219 Tucker Road, McKinnon – Construction of a four (4) storey building comprising of five dwellings, a shop and basement carpark; reduction of visitor and shop car parking requirements. Permit for 3 storeys. 5/9/2017
48 Thomas Street, Brighton East – 2 double storeys. 17/10/2017
27 Draper Street, McKinnon – 3 double storeys 6/2/2018
11 Perth Street, Murrumbeena – Construction of five (5) triple storey dwellings above a basement car park. 27/2/2018
279-281 Jasper Road, McKinnon – child care centre. 20/3/2018
45-47 KANGAROO ROAD & 33 HOWE STREET MURRUMBEENA – Demolition of the existing three dwellings A total of fifteen (15) dwellings proposed including 10x three storey and 5x two storey attached townhouses (22/5/2018)
1207 Glen Huntly Road, Glen Huntly – Construction of a part three (3), part four (4) storey building comprising a shop, office and dwelling (26/9/2018)
749-753 Glen Huntly Road, Caulfield – Demolition of the existing building and construction of a 4 storey building on land within the Heritage Overlay, use of the land for the purpose of dwellings and reduction of the car parking requirement for a shop. (27/11/2018)
846-848 North Road, Bentleigh East – Construction of fourteen (14) townhouses and alteration to a Road in Road Zone Category 1 (30/4/2019)
317 Neerim Road, Carnegie – Construction of a five storey building comprising offices and dwellings and associated car parking. (13/8/2019)
456 Glen Eira road, Caulfield – 5 dwellings in NRZ (16/10/2019)
1 Foster Street, Elsternwick – To consider an application for the demolition of the existing building and construction of six double storey dwellings above basement carparking (12 OBJECTIONS) (9/6/2020)
Glen Eira Debates 
September 25, 2020 at 2:05 PM
A major disappointment. Promised so much and delivered so little. Most of the time he sounded like Hyams clone.
September 25, 2020 at 6:33 PM
Yes. All out for high rise in Carnegie and Elsternwick and elsewhere with no concern for surrounding residential areas. A disaster as a councillor and former mayor
September 25, 2020 at 7:40 PM
The Ballad of Young Tony from Rosstown Way
He’s just another “gunna” Old Joe would say, he certainly ain’t no Ned Kelly, is that Tony “Gunna” from Rosstown Way.
Out in the heat and flies were honest men ply, we used call these blokes and sheila’s “gunna”, Old Joe would say, for, they were always “gunna” do this, or “gunna” do that. Thinking back they never really did shape up for nothin’ much, unless it was breakfast, lunch and tea, and it was you and I paying, you see.
For Young Tony from Rosstown Way, all apologies were his way, to hot, too cold, me prize stead ran away, or lately that deadly Rona has pinned me down, was his cry
By the sounds of this lads punishing past, I would bet me dearest loves wedding ring, and I’ll give you his numbers of 3 out of 4 or, or is that pushin’ it a might too far. For Tony “gunna” the Lad from Rosstown, no show is his play.
He’ll leave it up to his mates to do the the explainin’ when the goings tuff,and the chips are down, or all that flaming groomin’ has just got him down,
Now the strange thing is, Bert laments, there’s another 8 well known local gunna’s knocking round this run. I’ve seen with me’ own two eyes, heard them too. But nothin’ ever seems to come from all that breeze, which is kinda lucky in a sad way.
Bert adds with a falling hope, the thing is you see “gunna’s” never remember what they’ve done or say, or say and done, for the fact, and their thinkin’, neither can you or I, and that’s their play,
September 27, 2020 at 2:17 PM
Cannot people see this Athanasopoulos person isn’t going to oppose developments in Rosstown. He is or has been Chairperson of the Carnegie Traders Association, he has a family business on Koornang Rd in Carnegie, it’s not hard to put 2&2 together and see were his interests are.
September 30, 2020 at 7:33 PM
He also supported 7 Selwyn Street Elsternwick