Fox in hunt for votes

By Shaun Inguanzo
THE Federal seat of Isaacs is up for grabs – and Ross Fox is determined to make it his.
The Liberal Party has revealed that Mr Fox, 30, will run against Labor candidate Mark Dreyfus QC for the seat that Labor MP Ann Corcoran will vacate for this year’s Federal election.
Mr Fox said if elected he would bring a wealth of political knowledge and a passion for helping the community tackle important issues.
Mr Fox lives in Mentone – within the electorate – and holds a degree in mining engineering from the University of New South Wales, as well as a bachelor of arts in philosophy and politics, with two years spent studying at Oxford University in the United Kingdom.
He currently works under Federal Senator Michael Ronaldson and has previously helped Australian long-distance-runner-turned-politician Pat Farmer set up office in New South Wales.
He was also senior policy adviser to former New South Wales opposition leader John Brogden.
Mr Fox has been placing his political feelers on the ground in Greater Dandenong and said the main issue confronting Greater Dandenong, in his opinion, was community safety.
“In Greater Dandenong everyone I talk to raises the issue of community safety,” he said.
“That includes how we make the Dandenong CBD and rest of Greater Dandenong a more attractive place to be.
“People want to feel safe in their homes and local neighbourhoods want to be free of graffiti.”
Mr Fox said the city’s economic strength should also be fostered.
“Greater Dandenong is full of (business) opportunities and we should continue to develop those,” he said, “because it is certainly heading in the right direction in terms of local investment and employment.”
Mr Fox said he would also battle to slash the red tape that can severely restrict the ability of community groups to run fundraisers.
“I met with a guy from Rotary who said when they have exchange students everyone has to get police checks for working with children,” he said.
“It is important we protect our children but it has gotten to a stage where everyone in that house, even those who visit, have to get approvals.
“It is a huge disincentive for a program that has been running for a long time.
“Another example is a sausage sizzle run at a local supermarket. I heard the group had to fill in a 40-page form.”