The Mail asked the La Trobe candidates three questions ahead of the Federal Election on Saturday 18 May.
Here are the responses we received, in ballot paper order.
Amy Gregorovich, The Greens
What are your top three priorities for the area?
1. Action for climate change and a transition to renewable energy.
2. Education for everyone at all stages of their life.
3. Access to affordable and quality healthcare.
What’s your personal connection to the electorate?
I am a proud local, growing up in Pakenham and attending school in the region.
La Trobe has also been my place of employment for nearly five years, as I have worked for Casey-Cardinia Libraries.
I am also heavily involved in community and youth advocacy organisations within our region, sitting on the Cardinia Shire Youth Council last year.
Why do you want to be an MP?
I think it is important to have a diverse range of individuals representing our community at all levels of government.
I am proud to be running and challenging the status quo; being a voice for those who feel that our current career-politicians aren’t representing them.
It would also be great, as a young person, to have the chance to advocate on behalf of the next generation while ensuring the needs of our diverse community are met.
Norman Baker, Rise Up Australia Party
Did not respond by deadline.
Jason Wood, Liberal
What are your top three priorities for the area?
1. Tackling congestion, road safety and fixing unsealed roads.
2. Strong economy means more funding for upgrading local sports facilities.
3. Fire safety. Over the past six years in the Dandenong Ranges and surrounds, the federal government has provided more than $5 million for fuel reduction and weed control.
What’s your personal connection to the electorate?
Having lived in the La Trobe area for more than 40 years, I share a strong affinity with the local residents.
I’m actively involved with the community, often playing sports and visiting clubs, health hub, pensioner associations while also lobbying for funding for the same.
It gives me immense pleasure to be serving the people of La Trobe for the last 12 year as a member for parliament.
Why do you want to be an MP?
I am a believer that first we need to understand, communicate and effectively interact with people across my community.
As a member of parliament, I want to celebrate the contribution that the La Trobe community has made to Australia by truly demonstrating my parliamentary and electorate duties.
I feel pride in helping constituents who may be having difficulties with issues such as taxes, immigration, health or pensions.
Esther Baker, Pauline Hanson’s One Nation
What are your top three priorities for the area?
1. Security/local crime. Current and introduced measures are clearly not working. We need a solution that will have results.
2. Jobs and infrastructure. We need funding for schools, including TAFE, apprenticeships, better hospital facilities and less congested roads.
3. Affordable energy and lower cost of living. Restore our 90-day fuel security policy, commit to low cost, reliable, new low-emission coal fired power stations as a base load source and address the multiple taxes on fuel.
What’s your personal connection to the electorate?
I live, run my business, my child attends a local school and I volunteer at a local school.
Why do you want to be an MP?
I’m a wife, mother and small business owner so this decision was deeply personal.
I truly felt that neither major party was putting Australians first and I wanted to be someone that real people could identify with, that would raise their hand and say ‘here’s another option and an option for hope for our children and future generations’.
Duncan Dean, United Australia Party
What are your top three priorities for the area?
Climate change, transport infrastructure and cost of living.
What’s your personal connection to the electorate?
I was born in Melbourne and live with my family in Harkaway.
My electorate is dynamic, changing demographically and a great multi-cultural society which I wish to serve to the best of my knowledge and experience.
My international experience is a great asset in working with multiple cultures to achieve the best outcomes for the families of La Trobe.
Why do you want to be an MP?
To address local issues, national agenda and global strategic issues such as climate change.
Simon Curtis, Australian Labor Party
What are your top three priorities for the area?
1. Funding for healthcare and education so that every Australian has the chance to access top-quality services regardless of their bank balance.
2. Cost of living pressures keep going up, but wages aren’t keeping up. I want to ensure local families get a fair go.
3. Local infrastructure projects have been neglected by an Abbott-Turnbull-Morrison Government which has forgotten about Victoria. I want to deliver the infrastructure our community have missed out on.
What’s your personal connection to the electorate?
My family have lived in Berwick since the 1850s.
During that time, generations of our family have been actively involved in many parts of our community through schools, churches and community groups.
My wife and I continue to raise our family in Berwick and we enjoy watching our children experience their own connection to our community.
I have served our community on Casey council, as the president of the Berwick Football Club, and I am a local school teacher.
Why do you want to be an MP?
I feel at a local level and as a teacher that I can improve the lives of many people in our community in a small way.
However, by serving as the local member in our Federal Parliament I can help to deliver a fair go and improve the lives of many others in our broader community.
Asher Joseph Calwell-Browne, Derryn Hinch’s Justice Party
Did not respond by deadline.
