Crumbling Palais and education top Albert Park issues

THE RACE is on for the seat of Albert Park, with seven diverse candidates vying for the Labor-held marginal seat at the state election.

St Kilda musician Tex Perkins outside the Palais Theatre, which is covered in scaffolding due to a stalemate between council and state government over who will pay for massive external repairs it needs. Picture: Josie Hayden

THE RACE is on for the seat of Albert Park, with seven diverse candidates vying for the Labor-held marginal seat at the state election.

The Leader interviewed six of them on Friday. Their knowledge of state politics varied, with only three able to name the Victorian Treasurer.

But all trumpeted their passion and commitment.

All except Family First candidate Deborah Geyer; Ms Geyer didn’t respond to requests for an interview, and her campaign manager Shane Clark wouldn’t supply a photo of her.

WHAT IS YOUR BIG ALBERT PARK ELECTION ISSUE? TELL US BELOW

Rock star independent Tex Perkins vowed to pressure the major parties into saving the Palais Theatre and on Friday believed victory was near; “I think statements will come from various parties very soon,” he said after a series of meetings with candidates.

Labor MP Martin Foley and Liberal Shannon Eeles named local education and the crumbling Palais among voters’ top concerns, as did the Greens’ David Collis and Sex Party’s James Hurley.

Mr Hurley said traffic noise on Beaconsfield Parade was a key concern for voters, and that the East-West link would ease traffic congestion in Port Melbourne.

Steven Armstrong of the Population Party said the top issue was “the decline of urban standard of living.”