Battle of Pembroke: Tasmanian upper house hopefuls enter final straight to election day

Cost of living, housing, and the proposed AFL stadium are the major issues on the minds of Eastern Shore voters, according to the five candidates vying to win Pembroke this weekend.

The Tasmanian upper house division of Pembroke. Picture: Stephen Brookes

Cost of living, housing, and the proposed AFL stadium are the major political issues currently occupying the minds of Hobart eastern shore voters, according to the five candidates vying to win Pembroke at Saturday’s Legislative Council elections.

Incumbent member, Labor’s Luke Edmunds, is seeking re-election to the state’s upper house on a platform of improved access to transport, health, and housing for local residents, and opposing any moves to privatise Tasmania’s publicly owned assets.

Labor MLC Luke Edmunds. Picture: Elise Kaine

“I’ve had thousands of conversations with my constituents over the last two years, and the cost of living is still a major concern for many people,” he said.

“Public transport, especially access to bus and ferry services, is also raised frequently and I’ve been calling for the expansion of ferry services.

“Health and affordable housing are big issues here just as they are across Tasmania.”

Mr Edmunds said that while he believed a Macquarie Point stadium would create jobs and deliver Tasmania an AFL team, he was determined to hold the government to account over the project’s financing, design, and construction.

Greens candidate Carly Allen said the majority of voters she had door-knocked identified the stadium as their number one issue, with concerns raised about the expected price tag and cost to the state’s bottom line.

“Tasmania deserves our team, but we don’t deserve to be forced into building a massively costly stadium,” the graphic designer said.

Greens Pembroke candidate Carly Allen. Picture: Tasmanian Greens

“We need to put this money into areas of critical need like health, housing, and education instead.

“I’m running for the Greens in Pembroke because I believe our community deserves to be represented by someone who genuinely listens to them, and who acts on their behalf in Parliament. Too often we have been ignored on the big issues.”

Shooters, Fishers, Farmers TAS candidate, Steve Loring, said he was running in Pembroke to help address cost-of-living pressures and housing affordability, and to build a stronger community.

Mr Loring said he was determined to deliver traffic solutions by expanding ferry services, increasing active transport networks including a dedicated bike pathway on the Tasman Bridge, and improving public transport reliability and frequency.

Steve Loring, Shooters, Fishers, Farmers TAS candidate for Pembroke. Picture: Supplied

“By focusing on these priorities, Pembroke can ease congestion, improve liveability, and keep residents moving efficiently,” the support worker told the Mercury.

Mr Loring said his plan for a stronger Tasmania – including better support for struggling Tasmanians, and the establishment of a powerful anti-corruption commission – did not include a new stadium for Hobart.

“Public money should fund priorities, not politics,” he said.

Independent candidate, Clarence councillor Tony Mulder, nominated cost of living as the biggest issue for voters in the electorate, followed by housing, the stadium, and then traffic.

A former Legislative Council member for Rumney, Mr Mulder said that if returned to the state’s upper house, he would repeat his policy to “always review, sometimes amend, but rarely reject” House of Assembly legislation.

Independent candidate Tony Mulder. Picture: SAM ROSEWARNE.

“I am running in Pembroke because there are no right-leaning candidates to choose from,” Mr Mulder said.

“With compulsory voting, the Liberals should have endorsed or formally backed someone to give the voters a choice.

“I am an old-style democrat, a small ‘l’ liberal, and a centre-right leaning, independent.”

Mr Mulder said while he was an in-principle supporter of the Macquarie Point stadium, he would undertake more research and conduct further negotiation before voting on the proposal.

PCYC general manager, Allison Ritchie, is a former state government minister and current Clarence councillor who is running as an independent candidate in Pembroke.

Independent candidate Allison Ritchie. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Ms Ritchie said that if elected, she would advocate for a new youth services hub on the Eastern Shore, push for a local Medicare Urgent Care Clinic, and lobby for an upgraded Shoreline roundabout.

“It is more important than ever that the Legislative Council remains independent and that people with experience are elected to assess all legislation on its merits; act as a genuine check and balance on the government of the day and to place the interests of the Tasmanian community first,” she said.

Ms Ritchie said any stadium proposal put forward by the state government must be fit for purpose and financially viable, comply with relevant planning requirements, and demonstrate strong community support.