TRANSPORT, schools and infrastructure have emerged as key issues in the federal election in the northern suburbs.
The major parties are fielding candidates in the federal electorates of Scullin and McEwen who will face demands from local lobby groups.
Sitting member for McEwen, Labor’s Rob Mitchell, is contesting for the third time the once traditionally marginal seat. McEwen has become a relatively safe Labor seat since a redistribution that brought in 35,000 voters from Labor voting areas around Sunbury.
Liberal candidate and Sunbury businessman Ben Collier would need a swing of more than 9 per cent to win the seat.
Mr Mitchell said he was still treating it as a marginal seat. “I am not taking anything for granted,” he said.
The Australian Electoral Commission has not yet finalised its data, but the ABC’s election analyst Antony Green puts the swing for Liberals to win McEwen at 9.2 per cent and Scullin at 20.6 per cent.
The Liberals will field a yet-to-be-determined candidate in Scullin, according to party spokesman Andrew Cox. He said the party was not concerned it was deemed a safe Labor seat. The Liberals are already fielding a candidate in the Labor seat of Gellibrand where they require a swing of 24.1 per cent.
Labor has selected workplace lawyer and Labor activist Andrew Giles to stand in Scullin after the retirement of veteran politician and former speaker of the House of Representatives Harry Jenkins.
Mr Collier said he had met local lobbyists and supported issues such as the extension of the train line to Mernda and building a secondary college and police station in Mernda.
