Sarah Connolly, who will be Labor’s candidate for Tarneit at next year’s state election, says she wants to give the area “a very loud” voice in Parliament.
Incumbent Tarneit MP Telmo Languiller will not re-contest the seat during next November’s election following allegations he abused his parliamentary entitlements.
Ms Connolly said that she had not yet met with Mr Languiller, but was planning to do so to discuss the electorate.
Ms Connolly said that if elected, her priorities for the area would include crime, infrastructure and community services.
“As well, things like ensuring young people have job opportunities, access to TAFE and further education and re-engaging with kids who have left schools is also important,” she said.
Ms Connolly said transport was one of the biggest challenges facing Tarneit.
Ms Connolly said she was keen to find out what issues were important to Tarneit residents and that she wanted people to think of her as a “normal mum”.
She has a law degree, works full-time as a customer relationships officer and has two young children.
Ms Connolly describes her family as “a big union family” – her husband, Scott Connolly, is assistant secretary at the Australian Council of Trade Unions.
She said they moved from Brisbane to Altona North about two years ago.
She said that although Altona North was not located in the Tarneit electorate, it was less than a 10-minute drive away.
“If I am elected, I will be in the area (Tarneit) every day,” she said. “And if I get voted in, I will absolutely consider moving to the electorate.”
