Greens candidates in the upcoming State Election are calling for better public transport and action over the “stalled” Revitalising Central Dandenong project.
Robert Lim, who is standing in Premier Daniel Andrews’s seat of Mulgrave, says public transport was “unusable” in the seat.
He called for frequent bus routes connected to train lines and activity centres.
“It’s nonsensical that the 800 to Chadstone comes every two hours on Saturday and not at all on Sundays. Weekend workers and shoppers need to get around too.”
There were also a lack of safe north-south or station-bound bike routes, Mr Lim said.
The Noble Park science graduate, who works in food manufacturing, said ALP branch-stacking by “using ethnic communities” was “abhorrent”.
“An open, transparent government that is held accountable is essential.
“Manipulation of ethnic communities for factional gain should not be tolerated.”
Former Greater Dandenong councillor Matthew Kirwan is standing in the safe Labor seat Dandenong held by Mental Health, Treaty and First Peoples Minister Gabrielle Williams.
The Noble Park project manager, who recently stood in the federal election, says the electorate has been taken for granted by the ALP for too long.
“I want the hold the ALP to account for the stalled ‘Revitalising’ Central Dandenong project, and more broadly a lack of public investment across Dandenong District.”
Mr Kirwan was also concerned with “unaffordable housing in a part of Melbourne where once almost everyone could live”.
Dandenong Hospital “breaking under the strain” and the region’s “greatest per capita pokies losses in the state” were also concerns.
