NSW Election 2019: Big issues and big money thrown at Bankstown voters
Bankstown will be fought out by four candidates with Labor’s Tania Mihailuk going for her third successive term.
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BANKSTOWN will be fought out by four candidates with Labor’s Tania Mihailuk going for her third successive term.
The former Bankstown Mayor is up against Liberal’s George Zakhia again, having secured 56.3 per cent of the primary vote in the 2015 elections. Mr Zakhia, a local councillor, had 31.2 of the primary vote.
Last week, the Liberals pledged a $1.3 billion upgrade and new site for the Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital if they are re-elected, which was the biggest funding announcement for the area.
Labor wants to upgrade the hospital, and keep it at the same place.
Labor has always held this seat since 1927.
We asked all Bankstown candidates to send information about themselves and their policies. Here are the interesting comments from those who responded.
NAME: Saud Abu Samen
PARTY: Independent
A BIT ABOUT YOU: I’m a family man to seven wonderful children. Working in a law firm. Completed Masters in business administration, Graduate certificate in Migration Law and Bachelor of Law.
YOUR POLITICAL BACKGROUND/EXPERIENCE: A candidate in 2017 Canterbury Bankstown Council elections and an advocate for a better Bankstown.
TOP THREE PRIORITIES/ISSUES IN YOUR ELECTORATE: Stop the high rise building, increase public school funding and continued vested interest to all stakeholders, most importantly our patients in Bankstown hospital.
NAME: James Rooney
PARTY: The Greens
A BIT ABOUT YOU: I have lived, with my family, in the local area for the past 10 years. I have a Masters Degree in History and have worked in education for 25 years, primarily with disadvantaged students in south-western Sydney.
YOUR POLITICAL BACKGROUND/EXPERIENCE: I have previously stood as The Greens candidate for Canterbury-Bankstown Local Government, Revesby Ward.
TOP THREE PRIORITIES/ISSUES IN YOUR ELECTORATE: Immediate and effective action on climate change. We need to end our dependence on fossil fuels that are contributing to climate change and transition, rapidly, to renewable energy sources.
Stop the privatisation of public transport. The proposed metro conversion of the Bankstown line would cause massive disruption, the permanent loss of direct access to many stations, including Chester Hill, Sefton, Berala, Birrong, Regents Park, Redfern, Town Hall and Wynyard and massive overdevelopment along the proposed Metro line would follow. The Greens say no to privatisation of public assets and overdevelopment.
Protection of our open, green spaces and the creation of liveable communities, with high quality infrastructure and facilities.
NAME: Tania Mihailuk
PARTY: Australian Labor Party
A BIT ABOUT YOU: As a lifelong resident, together with my husband we are raising our three children locally. I studied law and economics; I have worked in the areas of industrial relations, communications, infrastructure and human rights.
I am passionate about advancing the community of Bankstown and will always fight against the Liberal Government’s attempts to shortchange our community. Shadow Minister for Planning, Housing and Family and community services. Member of the Independent Commission Against Corruption parliamentary oversight committee I was the former Mayor of Bankstown and have been in parliament now for eight years.
TOP THREE PRIORITIES/ISSUES IN YOUR ELECTORATE: Our community has been Neglected for right years; we lost a train line and many express services. Electricity prices have shot up by 60 per cent and families are finding it hard to make ends meet because of higher living costs. Despite this the Liberals have introduced more M5 tolls, increased public transport fares and have now refused to rule out privatising our local health services.
NSW Labor will upgrade the Bankstown train line, including installing easy access lifts. We will reinstate the Liverpool (Bankstown) via Regents Park and review train timetables. We will also ensure public transport is always free for children. We will upgrade Bankstown Hospital, including a new carpark and we will keep the hospital in public hands. Under Labor we will employ more nurses, health care professional and security at Bankstown Hospital. Labor will never privatise Bankstown Hospital. NSW Labor will re -regulate electricity prices to cut power bills. NSW Labor will stop overdevelopment in Bankstown by scrapping the unfair housing targets the Liberals have imposed on our area. We will put people and communities at the heart of planning our future.
The electorate includes the suburbs of Bankstown, Bass Hill, Birrong, Chester Hill, Condell Park, Georges Hall, Lansdowne, Potts Hill, Punchbowl, Regents Park, Revesby, Sefton, Villawood, and Yagoona.
LIST OF CANDIDATES IN THE BALLOT ORDER:
Saud Abu-Samen (Independent); George Zakia (Liberals); Tania Mihailuk (Labor); James Rooney (The Greens).
TO FIND OUT WHERE TO VOTE, GO TO: bit.ly/2Clgfln