Fed election 2019: The issues Fairfield City locals want fixed
In the lead up to the Federal election, the Advance took to the streets to ask the locals of Fairfield City about the issues that concern them.
Fairfield
Don't miss out on the headlines from Fairfield. Followed categories will be added to My News.
In the lead up to the Federal election, the Advance took to the streets to ask the locals of Fairfield City about the issues that concern them.
They told us in their own words about the concerns they find most pressing and what it would take for the politicians competingto win their vote.
MCMAHON
Philemon Georges, 44, of Fairfield.
The infrastructure is a bit run down. I think we need a new shopping centre. I’ve been living here for over 20 years, but we need a new shopping centre.
The transport is kind of okay.
Rent is too expensive. Rent is killing people, you know, especially in the last couple of years, it’s gone through the roof, the rent.
I usually like Labor...I usually vote Labor.
Amad AlJbouri, 42, of Fairfield
I want to tell you about what I see here in Fairfield. Fairfield train station is a bad station. It’s an old station, dirty toilets, always bad people around. The teenagers, they’ve broken my door last time, last week they broke into the sweet shop on the corner, and (police do) nothing.
Criminals always here, I think that’s the police job.
I don’t know how (they would fix it,) that’s not my job, I’m a barber.
Yesterday (May 9) the police were here, people were fighting, I saw ... people walking the streets and holding a knife. I’ve been living in this area for seven years. I see everything bad here at the train station.
Andrea Chavez, 40, of Fairfield
There’s a lot of problems with drugs, the youth and the homeless. There’s a lot of homesless at the moment. There’s not enough money to survive. The crime and cost of living ... especially for the west. People never before homeless in Fairfield, and now you can see around the shopping centre in the morning, everyone can see the people sleeping in the street.
Chris Bowen, (of Labor) I vote for him and Guy Zangari (of Labor, in the NSW election). They always help a lot of people with disability, and also refugee people. Chris Bowen, they help a lot of people.
Ronald Kumar, 26, of Fairfield
I’ve lived in Fairfield for 25 years.
Greenhouse and the climate. I’m a bit worried about the climate.
Cause I did my apprenticeship, I’m a mechanic by trade, if they can help out ... with the wages a bit, if they can pay a bit extra so that more people can get into a trade. I’ve met heaps of people and because of the pay no one wants to do a trade.
I don’t know much about politics.
I’m going to vote, I’ll go for The Greens, because of their climate. We’re still young and I like the way they’re talking about the climate and helping out the environment. When you’re young, that’s how it is.
FOWLER
Vai Nevili, 18, Canley Vale
I’ve lived in Canley Vale for almost five years now.
I want bigger parks for kids. They should have more youth (centres) around the areas, because there’s no youth centres in Canley Value. It’s like a place where you go and the people help you with homework, school stuff ... and like problems.
(I worry) for the future for my kids.
Nah, I don’t know (if I’ll vote). I’m not really sure.
Hannah Nguyen, 40, Cabramatta
I have been here (in Cabramatta) for 13 years. Around here, I don’t think we have enough garbage bins.
My main thing is average income ... the people struggling with renting because the housing is higher, the rent is higher too,but the salary is the same.
The second is some crime.
I haven’t decided yet (who I’ll vote for), but I will of course vote.