Rosanna Rd and education key issues in Ivanhoe

ROSANNA Rd and education are the two issues that could make or break Ivanhoe candidates at the November state election.

Reopen Our Schools is campaigning for more education in the Ivanhoe electorate. Picture: Angie Basdekis

ROSANNA Rd and education are the two issues that could make or break Ivanhoe candidates at the November state election.

Residents from Ivanhoe, Ivanhoe East, Bellfield, Heidelberg, Heidelberg Heights, Heidelberg West, Eaglemont, Rosanna, Viewbank and parts of Macleod and Yallambie will be going to the polls with seven candidates vying for their votes.

Candidates include Ivanhoe state Labor MP Anthony Carbines, Liberal candidate Carl Ziebell, Greens candidate Paul Kennedy, Australian Christians candidate Gurmender Grewal, Family First candidate Jesse Boer and independents Craig Langdon and Abdirizak Mohamed.

All were asked a series of questions with notice.

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Mr Carbines promised a feasibility study to look into the future education demands in Ivanhoe and Heidelberg.

He said a range of Labor promises would help relieve transport stress including a rail extension in Mernda, more peak services on the Hurstbridge line, a duplication of the city train loop and encourage people to use public transport.

“We’ve announced a truck ban on Rosanna Rd at night, seven days a week from 10pm-6am to improve the situation for residents and work towards longer-term solutions,” Mr Carbines said.

“We’ve announced a truck ban on Rosanna Rd at night, seven days a week from 10pm-6am,” — Anthony Carbines, Ivanhoe state Labor MP

Mr Ziebell said East West Link would ease a lot of the congestion by taking trucks off Rosanna Rd.

He said the Liberal Party would commit to community consultation, a study to look at issues along Rosanna Rd including skid resistance, speed zones, truck curfews and finding an alternate route for freight while East West Link was being built.

While for education Mr Ziebell said he would investigate whether the schools were overcrowded and figure out “clever” ways to improve the size of the schools in the area.

“And, if it’s required, look at building a new (school) in the area,” Mr Ziebell said.

“And, if it’s required, look at building a new (school) in the area,” — Carl Ziebell, Ivanhoe state Liberal candidate

Mr Kennedy said fixing congestion along Rosanna Rd included a truck ban at night, day time interstate truck restrictions and improving public transport.

He said a school was needed on the western side of the electorate and the State Government should buy former Banyule school sites land back for education.

Independent candidate Mr Langdon — who has taken leave as Banyule’s mayor — said he believed all the political parties needed to come an agreement on the long-term Rosanna Rd solutions.

He said questions including if the Port of Hastings is going to be the major port and how to get trucks up the Hume Highway had to be answered before a long-term Rosanna Rd solution could be made.

Mr Langdon said the answer behind Ivanhoe education issues was not constructing a new school but building on the reputation of existing schools like Ivanhoe Primary School — perhaps even creating another campus.

Reopen Our Schools is campaigning for more education in the Ivanhoe electorate. Picture: Angie Basdekis

Mr Grewal said he wanted to give the youth of Ivanhoe a voice, improve housing affordability and career prospects for university graduates while putting more government emphasis on science, technology and innovation.

Mr Mohamed said he believed security and multiculturalism were the key issues in Ivanhoe.

He said he would push for a police station in Heidelberg West and better safety and security for people throughout the area.