Victorian Socialists put up their hands

Victorian Socialists have confirmed lower-house Lowan and Ripon candidates for Victoria’s approaching state election.

Lifetime worker and unionist Trevor Grenfell, who has been living between Dimboola and Geelong for the past year, will stand for Lowan and Geelong teacher Bronwyn Jennings, who went to school in Maryborough, will stand for Ripon.

Both said they had put up their hands to support former Geelong Trades Hall secretary Tim Gooden, who is standing for a Western Victoria Region upper-house seat.

They have also pledged, if elected, to accept only a skilled-worker wage and to provide any additional money to community campaigns.

Mr Grenfell said key issues in regional Victoria were jobs, public housing and healthcare.

“I’m confident people want a better deal. If we can get some people from Victorian Socialists elected, then there’s a greater chance we’ll encourage workers and the community to fight for their rights,” he said.

“We’re a party of fighters and we stand up for working people.”

Ms Jennings, also a worker and unionist all her working life, said she was familiar with Ripon and its needs.

She said working people ‘paid for everything while receiving little in return’ and echoed Mr Grenfell’s points on key issues, adding domestic violence to the list.

“I am working as a secondary school teacher and passionate about educational issues in regional areas, where public school funding is in desperate need of serious increases. I bring this passion and commitment to my candidacy,” she said.

“Without serious and regionally specific job creation, we cannot address many of the issues that stem from poverty and alienation.

“Victorian Socialists are committed to restoring public health in all areas and ending the outsourcing of services such as pathology, radiology, food, cleaning, security, even patient television access.

“In fact the whole question of access to all types of services in the bush is a major problem that we need to start addressing.”