Chandler Highway top Northcote election issue

CANDIDATES contesting the seat of Northcote in the upcoming state election have expressed surprisingly similar priorities, despite diverse political backgrounds.

Traffic backlog on Chandler Highway as two lanes become one for the bridge. Chandler Highway Bridge has been named number one worst congestion spot in Melbounre in the Leader RACV survey. Picture: Kris Reichl

CANDIDATES contesting the seat of Northcote in the upcoming state election have expressed surprisingly similar priorities, despite diverse political backgrounds.

Last week the Leader spoke to six of the seven candidates who have thrown their hat in the ring for the election about key issues and priorities.

Northcote state Labor MP Fiona Richardson is among those contesting the seat and prioritised duplicating Chandler Highway Bridge, as did Liberal candidate Anthony D’Angelo.

In June this year, Labor committed to duplicating the bridge during the next term if elected.

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Greens candidate and current Darebin councillor Trent McCarthy and The Basics Rock‘n’Roll Party candidate Jamie McCarney both said fixing the Chandler Highway bottleneck was a top priority for infrastructure funding.

Cr McCarthy said if elected, he would ensure the bridge duplication included a transit lane and an extended bus service and the chokepoint would be fixed by 2016.

Most candidates also prioritised removing level crossings and improving train service frequency.

Ms Richardson said Labor would remove crossings at Grange Rd in Alphington and two across Bell St and Cr McCarthy said the Greens planned to remove crossings at Grange Rd, Station St, Victoria Rd, Westgarth St, Oakover Rd and Bell St.

Independent candidate Bryony Edwards, a member of the Save the Planet group, also prioritised improving train service frequency, saying reducing people’s reliance on petrol guzzling cars was essential in working towards saving the planet.

Chandler Highway Bridge. Picture: Kris Reichl

While there were marked similarities between candidates there were also marked differences.

Animal Justice Party candidate Georgina Purcell said her only reason for standing was to give a voice to animals in parliament and to stop jumps racing, puppy farming and duck shooting.

Cr McCarthy said he believed the key issue for his constituents was the pressure of infrastructure and services failing to keep pace with development and the lack of controls to ensure appropriate development.

Ms Richardson promised to stop excessive council rate rises.

Mr D’Angelo went into bat for cyclists, saying the missing links in the bicycle trail network should be funded as a priority.

While Jamie McCarney said his party’s key priority was to improve indigenous learning opportunities in local schools and get better funding for artists and musicians.

Family First candidate Helen Fenn was unavailable for comment.