Braddon electorate focused on cost of living as its population prepares for an election

Cost of living has emerged as the most prominent theme for those in the Braddon electorate. Find out what its population think ahead of the election on Saturday.

City Mission Burnie Hub facilitator Naomi Maynard and emergency relief and accommodation operations manager Stephen Hill. Picture: Simon McGuire.

Like the rest of the state, cost of living will be the main thing on people’s minds in Braddon when they go to the polls on Saturday.

City Mission emergency relief and accommodation manager Stephen Hill said that he was seeing first-hand in the North-West the impact cost of living was having on the community.

“What we’re seeing is people are feeling the pressures from a range of influences because we’re working mainly with people who are experiencing direct crisis, whether that’s somewhere to stay or the finances that are required to keep their existing accommodation or try and find somewhere else,” Mr Hill said.

“That would probably be the key focus for them whether an election was coming up or not.

“We’ve seen a gradual increase in demand over the last couple of years, and again, that matches what we’ve also seen in other regions as well.”

In the Braddon electorate, City Mission provides emergency relief through financial help and referral to other services.

City Mission emergency relief and accommodation operations manager Stephen Hill. Picture: Simon McGuire.

It also operates a kitchen that provides cheap meals for people experiencing homelessness.

“As with any election, the promises are fine, and people are identifying that there are some concerns for people who are experiencing difficulties,” Mr Hill said.

“But the real indication comes after the election and how the promises are delivered, the timeliness of it and how that will happen.

“We’re encouraged by the fact that the parties are making comments that people are in need for a greater level of support, whether that’s for housing, health or day-to-day stuff.”

Mr Hill said the Braddon electorate was very giving.

“We know that the North-West community is a tight-knit, generous community in helping those around them.

“Whichever party gets in or whoever represents Braddon, we know they’ll do so with the support of a community that gets behind and stands up for each other and maximises the resources that are available on the ground.”

Not Just Books owner Matthew Vitagliano. Picture: Simon McGuire.

Burnie is one of the largest population centres in Braddon and is where Matthew Vitagliano’s business, Not Just Books, is based.

“For me, the election is about what’s in it for small businesses and try to ease cost of living pressures,” Mr Vitagliano said.

“It’s affected small businesses, I would say, especially us a business that sells non-essential items.

“The next 12 to 18 months is going to be tough, and then hopefully, interest rates will drop, and cost of living pressures will ease a bit and then drive people, hopefully, back to brick and mortar businesses.”

The Braddon electorate includes some of Tasmania’s most remote locations, including the West Coast and King Island.

“We are very different from the rest of Tasmania. We have expenses that the rest of Tasmania don’t have, like airfares and freight,” King Island resident Jill Munro said.

“We find that because there are so few of us on the electoral roll, we are really treated with contempt, except by the minor parties, unless there’s an election.”

Ms Munro said that access to health services was a big issue for King Islanders.

“We would like to be treated with a little bit of respect in the fact that yes, we may only be about 1000 votes, but we do have rights.

“We would like to think that whatever government got in, the treat is with the respect we believe we deserve.”