Niddrie candidates say education, transport, roads key priorities

A STRING of independent and minor party candidates will challenge the Labor foothold seat of Niddrie.

N24mv601 Essendon Keilor College's Campaign to fund school works . since the change of State government school rebuilding plans have been shelved . David Adamson-college principal and Robin Adamson -campus Principal (married ) show some some of the problems .

A STRING of independent and minor party candidates will challenge the Labor foothold seat of Niddrie.

The electorate has been held by Labor since 1976 and a total of eight candidates will contest the seat at the November 29 election.

Niddrie state Labor MP Ben Carroll has been representing the area since winning a by-election in March 2012.

When Leaderput questions without notice to candidates last week, the lack of education, transport and road infrastructure played heavily in their priorities.

Mr Carroll said the Essendon Keilor College and the Keilor Rd and Newman St intersection desperately needed upgrades.

Independent candidate Andrew Gunter, who ran as a candidate in the 2012 Moonee Valley Council election, said infrastructure in Niddrie had remained neglected because the electorate was not a priority for the major parties.

“It’s because it’s not marginal that it’s been ignored by one side of politics, taken for granted on one side of politics for many decades and the most important thing that can come out of this election is to make Niddrie marginal no matter who wins it so that more attention gets paid to Niddrie’s needs,” Mr Gunter said.

Moonee Valley councillor Andrea Surace will run as an independent candidate and said the electorate deserved a representative that “actually lives in the electorate”.

“With all due respect, the major party candidates aren’t residents of the electorate as far as I’ve seen so far,” Ms Surace said.

“I think some of them may socialise here but they don’t go home at night and understand the core issues that affect me and the fellow constituents and I believe the locals deserve better and they deserve a true independent.”

While Greens candidate Sarah Roberts lives outside the electorate in West Footscray, Liberal candidate Rebecca Gauci Maurici lives in Essendon and Mr Carroll in Moonee Ponds.