Education and roads are the key battlegrounds for candidates in the seat of Altona in the lead-up to Saturday’s state election.
Held by the ALP’s Jill Hennessy since 2010 and before that by former Bracks government minister Lynne Kosky, Altona is considered to be among Victoria’s safest seats.
At this election, it covers the areas of Altona, Altona Meadows, Laverton, Point Cook, Seabrook and Seaholme and parts of Altona North and Werribee.
Six candidates will contest Altona, representing the ALP, the Liberal Party, Voice for the West, the Greens and Australian Christians, with one independent.
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Star Weekly asked each to nominate the most significant issues facing residents.
Ms Hennessy said her top priority was providing opportunities for local people to gain the skills they need to get the jobs they want.
Greens candidate Chris De Bono said that with Point Cook’s rapid growth, building schools and investing in health, public transport and the environment were essential.
If elected, Mr De Bono said he would work to address the school maintenance backlog, lobby to re-direct the funding earmarked for East-West Link into public transport and campaign to fix hospitals across the west.
Voice of the West’s Jemal Hiabu said transport and other services had failed to keep pace with the region’s population growth.
Independent Brijender Nain said Point Cook’s growth should be stopped until public transport to the area was improved.
Liberal candidate Nihal Samara and Anthony O’Neill from Australian Christians failed to respond before deadline.
