We question the candidates

Laura Smyth – Australian Labor Party When I was six my family came to Australia from Northern Ireland. My parents knew Australia was a great country, a safe place to live and had opportunities for our young family. My partner and I live in Ferntree Gully. I have tried skiing only once; it was brief and ended with me skiing into a pub wall. Liberal State Government funding cuts to education, particularly to TAFE, have damaged to our community. Federal Labor has doubled the education budget since John Howard, and increased university funding by over 70 per cent. The next step is the Better Schools Plan. This will improve education for all kids but the Liberals aren’t committed to it. The choice is stark. I stand for a world class education system for training and jobs in a modern economy. The funding commitments I made at the last election were costed and funded and have been delivered or are underway. I have stood up for funding for DisabilityCare, the Better Schools Plan, historic environmental initiatives like the creation of marine reserves and a sustainable plan for the Murray Darling Basin. Voters know that I always do my best to act for our local and national interests.