By Shaun Inguanzo
GREATER Dandenong residents will take to the polling booths this weekend to decide the future of three federal seats: Isaacs, Hotham and Bruce.
Of the three, Isaacs is the most contentious with the Liberal Party needing a 1.5 per cent swing to take control of what has been a Labor seat since 2000.
In light of Star’s previous election coverage, below is a final look at the major parties in the lead up to Saturday’s Federal Election.
ISAACS is located in Melbourne’s outer south-eastern suburbs and covers 171 square kilometres.
Its diverse coverage includes parts of Keysborough, Noble Park, and Dandenong, where Labor booths traditionally poll well.
But it also includes Bayside suburbs such as Mordialloc, Chelsea, Edithvale and Carrum Downs.
Labor MP for Isaacs Ann Corcoran was defeated at a party-preselection and will resign this week, leaving the battle for Isaacs to Labor candidate and high profile QC Mark Dreyfus and his Liberal Party opponent Ross Fox.
It will be interesting to see if Ross Fox’s promises of CCTV to Noble Park traders and an Australian Technical College to Dandenong manufacturers will convince residents – not just business people who may live in other electorates – to vote Liberal.
Mark Dreyfus has focused on national issues of housing affordability and WorkChoices in his campaign, both targeted at the hip-pocket of working class people, which is the outstanding demographic in Greater Dandenong.
BRUCE has been held by Labor MP Alan Griffin since 1996.
It is predominantly an eastern-suburbs seat but includes parts of Springvale, Noble Park, Dandenong and Dandenong North.
Mr Griffin’s Liberal opponent is Angela Randall, a health industry professional who ran against the incumbent in 2004 and cut back Labor’s 6.5 percent margin to 3.5 per cent.
Alan Griffin’s campaign has been torn between the Bruce electorate and his Shadow Minister portfolios of Veterans’ Affairs, Defence Science and Personnel, and Special Minister of State.
Ms Randall has focused on community safety and made a joint announcement with Ross Fox about an Australian Technical College in Dandenong.
The swing required will be challenging for the Liberals, as Labor prepares itself to enjoy healthy polling in Victoria.
HOTHAM covers 72 square kilometres of south-eastern suburbs including Springvale , Murrumbeena, Oakleigh South, Clayton South, Moorabbin and Heatherton.
Incumbent Labor MP Simon Crean has a strong 7.4 per cent margin to protect against Liberal opponent Vincent Arborea.
Mr Arborea is a TAFE lecturer, but Mr Crean is a seasoned campaigner who survived an intense pre-selection campaign in 2006 during which factional rivals attempted to remove him.
The high margin and fact that Labor polled higher at 30 of 34 booths at the 2004 election, coupled with the expected statewide swing to Labor, toughen Mr Arborea’s chances at winning.
But that is not to say the Liberals will not reduce the margin. At the 2004 election, the Liberals slashed the margin from over 11 per cent to 7.4 per cent.
