WHILE the Liberal Party contenders for the three state electorates that make up the Mornington Peninsula are making promises on a weekly (if not daily) basis, the Labor Party has been slow to name its candidates.
Faced with an uphill battle to win any one of the seats, Labor last week listed Ryan White as standing for Mornington, Simon Meyer, Hastings and Chris Brayne, Nepean.
Mr Brayne announced his own candidature last month (“Labor’s late start in Nepean”, The News 1/10/18).
He is opposing Liberal Russell Joseph, who is trying to win the seat of his former boss, Martin Dixon, who has announced his retirement.
Mr Joseph, Mr Dixon’s electorate officer since 2014, was one of five candidates who sought preselection for the seat held by the Liberals with a safe 16 per cent margin on a two party preferred basis.
In Mornington, Labor’s Ryan White will try to defeat Liberal David Morris, who also has a seemingly safe hold on the seat with a 26 per cent two party preferred basis.
Hastings, held by Liberal Neale Burgess (16 per cent), is being contested for Labor by Simon Meyer.
ALP Victoria did not respond by deadline when asked by The News for details of its three peninsula candidates.
The party’s state website states: “Victorian Labor is fighting hard to end the Turnbull Morrison Liberal government and the damage it has caused in Victoria.”
First published in the Mornington News – 6 November 2018
