Eight for election
Eight candidates, all representing political parties, have nominated for the McMillan electorate in next month’s federal election.
Greens candidate Donna Lancaster won top spot on the vote card at Friday’s ballot draw and believes the Greens will have a positive presence on July 2.
Sitting Liberal member Russell Broadbent was disappointed not to gain top spot on the vote card, instead drawing the bottom of the card.
Candidates and their parties in ballot paper order are: Donna Lancaster of Inverloch (Greens), Kathleen Ipsen of Yallourn North (Australian Christians); Norman Baker of Longwarry (Rise Up Australia); Jennifer McAdam of Belgrave (Animal Justice Party); Jim McDonald of Leongatha (Liberal Democatic Party); Nathan Harding of Moe (Family First); Chris Buckingham of Warragul (ALP) and Russell Broadbent of Pakenham (Liberal). The Liberals achieved a 7.6 per cent swing at the 2013 election, taking the margin to 11.8 per cent.
The minor party candidates believe they will play a strong role in the outcome for McMillan while the ALP’s Mr Buckingham believes the electorate is ready for a change.
Mr Broadbent, who has served three consecutive terms since being elected in 2004, said as always he would “absolutely treat McMillan as a marginal seat.”
“We have to do make sure we do everything we can possibly do to hold the line in McMillan.
“I have never thought of it as safe. I never take one vote for granted and always make sure we do the right thing for our communities,” he said.
Mr Broadbent said McMillan was a massive and diverse electorate with a lot of infrastructure and social needs the placed demands on government responses.
From p1 The ALP has a long history in McMillan, holding the seat for 19 of the past 33 years and Mr Buckingham is confident the ALP can win back the seat.
Mr Buckingham said he had been campaigning for almost 12 months and “my sense is they are engaged and ready for change.”
He said health, education and job security continued to be the key issues for McMillan.
“But I think the community is looking for someone they can trust and someone who will work hard to get results. People understand that safe seats are not producing results for the community. McMillan has to be marginal for the community to be heard,” he said.
Ms Lancaster was happy with first position on the ballot card. “There are a lot of people undecided so it is a good place to be at the top.”
Ms Lancaster said she had been campaigning since September last year and had a great response from the community.
She said the Greens had been out in the community talking and listening to people about their concerns.
“The people want someone to represent the area but it has to be someone who has been talking to the electorate,” she said.
Ms Lancaster said the Greens was setting the bar high in McMillan, hoping to attract 15 to 20 per cent of the vote, which would double the percentage of votes recorded by the party at the past two federal elections.
It is the third time Mr Baker has represented Rise Up Australia at election, standing previously at federal and state elections.
While not confident about a strong result in McMillan, Mr Baker said the party was confident it would win at least one seat in parliament.
“Little by little the minor parties are being noticed,” he said.
Mr McDonald has previously stood at state election level.
He believes the minor party candidates will be well supported at this election.
“People are getting very disenchanted with the Liberal and Labor parties.
“They have Malcolm Turnbull socialism or Bill Shorten socialism – the people deserve a better choice and that’s what I aim to achieve,” he said.
Mr Harding, Ms Ipsen and Ms McAdam were not present at Friday’s ballot draw.