Public transport big Ringwood election issue

BETTER public transport has greater support than the $6.8 billion East West Link among the candidates for the seat of Ringwood.

Premier Denis Napthine visits Daisy's garden supplies in Ringwood to sprout the benefits of the East West Link. Premier Denis Napthine talks with Daisy's Garden Supplies Director Evan Mulcahy and Transport Manager Shane Howes. Picture: Jason Sammon Monday 3rd November 2014

SEVEN candidates have thrown their hats in the ring to contest the seat of Ringwood, which encompasses parts of the Whitehorse and Maroondah local government areas.

Among the candidates for the seat of Ringwood, better public transport has greater support than the $6.8 billion East West Link. Three candidates told Leader better public transport was a higher priority than the road link, while only one candidate said the East West should take priority.

Three candidates said the two transport policies had equal priority.

Mitcham state Liberal MP Dee Ryall is the sitting member after the redistribution poured her seat into the metropolitan activity centre of Ringwood.

Her main competition will be Labor’s Tony Clark, who would be the first blind person to be elected to state parliament if he proves successful in his bid for the seat.

The Greens candidate Brendan Powell has called for better investment in services such as health, education and public transport while the Australian Country Alliances’ Brian Dungey sees the East West Link as higher priority than public transport in the electorate.

Elsewhere, independent candidate Michael Challinger said his campaign was being run to protest against selling off vacant government land for developments.

People Power Victoria — No Smart Meters party candidate Steve Raskovy is unsurprisingly unhappy about the rollout of smart meters, and Australian Christians’ Karen Dobby is concerned about the rising cost of living.