Mill Park state Greens candidate struggles with suburbs

MILL Park Greens candidate Jeremy Graham has been stumped by a Leader question without notice, saying Mill Park was the electorate’s only suburb.

n46wp207 Traffic Congestion at the corner of Plenty rd and Childs rd Mill Park

MILL Park Greens candidate Jeremy Graham has been stumped by a Leader question without notice, saying Mill Park was the electorate’s only suburb.

Mr Graham is one of four candidates running for the seat of Mill Park, which covers South Morang, Epping, Wollert and Mill Park.

The 35-year-old Preston resident and full-time student said his key issue for the area was education.

“We have a situation where 12 per cent of graduates from Mill Park High School are not going on to any tertiary training or to employment,’’ Mr Graham said.

“For me, education at a state level is the number one priority and it’s probably the thing that’s going to be the biggest long term difference to the future of Mill Park.”

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Liberal candidate George Varughese said traffic congestion on Plenty Rd and High St was the biggest concern for residents.

“This is the second fastest-growing suburb (sic) in Australia, but unfortunately they haven’t planned the roads according to development,’’ Mr Varughese said.

Labor candidate and Mill Park MP Lily D’Ambrosio has held the seat since 2002 and said the TAFE system wasn’t working and roads needed upgrades.

“I’ve heard a lot of the concerns, but also the aspirations of our local community, families especially, and what they want for their families and what’s important to them to make their communities even better places to live,’’ Ms D’Ambrosio said.

“I believe that we need elected representatives that listen to local voices and work together in partnership to achieve improvements so that the community, families and hardworking people can achieve their aspirations in life.”

Family First candidate Peter Simmons listed party representative Shane Clark as a contact. When contacted, Mr Clark said the candidate would not participate in an interview.