Despite the workers’ red of the decor, the room seemed full of suits when the local who’s who of Victoria’s Labor Party gathered at Broadmeadows last week.
Rubbing shoulders were Senator Kim Carr, federal colleagues Maria Vamvakinou and Kelvin Thompson, former state planning minister Justin Madden, Melbourne Airport chief Chris Woodruff, Hume mayor Casey Nunn, and representatives of Ford and other corporations based in Melbourne’s “capital of the north”, as Mr Madden dubbed Broadmeadows.
They had come to join homegrown MP Frank McGuire at the official opening of his electoral office – and even brother Eddie was called on to beat the drum. Although the office has had its branding up and doors
open for some months, Mr McGuire’s appointment to the royal commission into sex abuse stalled the ceremonial cutting of the ribbon.
That was done by Opposition leader Daniel Andrews last Wednesday, and the ribbon was red, of course.
And “a red-hot contest” is what Mr Andrews promised in this year’s state election in November.
On his agenda are 24-hour public transport services on Friday and Saturday nights, the “undergrounding” of dangerous level crossings, better health services and a promise to “work hard every day”.
