Star Weekly spoke to Yan Yean’s incumbent Labor MP Danielle Green, Liberal candidate Sam Ozturk and Greens candidate Daniel Sacchero about the marginal electorate and their policies.
Sam Ozturk
Liberal candidate
1. What are the three most pressing issues that need attention in your electorate? Why?
Managing the growth in population is a key issue in Yan Yean and making sure that local families have strong local communities is critical. Issues which need attention are investment in infrastructure, education and law and order.
2. What will you do for the electorate that your opponents will not?
Unlike our opponents, every commitment that we have made for the electorate of Yan Yean is properly planned, costed and funded. Of particular note is that we are committed to a transport package for the electorate, which includes road investment such as the duplication of Yan Yean Road, investment in public transport such as Mernda rail and increasing the parking facilities at existing train stations at South Morang and Wallan. And we will actually deliver it!
Daniel Sacchero
Greens candidate
1. What are the three most pressing issues that need attention in your electorate? Why?
The most important issue is providing a regular, safe and cost-effective public transport system to the fast-growing areas of Wallan, Mernda and Doreen. People also need regular east-west buses connecting the estates to train stations.
Reducing the incidence of family violence and education are the next most important issues. We must increase investment in specialist teachers to assist kids with autism spectrum disorders get a quality education. Special religious education funding must be redirected to other areas of need. We need to restore the funding to TAFE.
2. What will you do for the electorate that your opponents will not?
I will represent the people of Yan Yean without fear or favour – not just the business donors. I will support an anti-corruption inquiry with strong powers.
Danielle Green
Labor MP
1. What are the three most pressing issues that need attention in your electorate? Why?
If Labor is elected we will fix the ambulance crisis, build the schools and TAFEs our kids need and deliver the Mernda rail extension instead of a dud tunnel in inner Melbourne. Labor will tackle soaring unemployment in the north by creating 100,000 new jobs in our first two years.
2. What will you do for the electorate that your opponents will not?
Unlike my Liberal opponent, I live and have raised my family in this electorate. I will always stand up for the north and invest in health, education and jobs for our kids. Only Labor will fix the ambulance-health service crisis, build schools like Mernda Central P-12 and create more jobs. Labor will deliver the Mernda rail extension, get rid of seven level crossings in the north and invest $1 billion in outer suburban roads.
