Crime, health and key absences: a tale of two campaigns
Allanah Sciberras and Emily Woods |
Two near-simultaneous election campaign launches have provided a study in contrasts as the major parties vie for victory.
Stepping into a low-key neighbourhood centre just minutes from his northwest Melbourne electorate on Sunday, Victorian Premier Ben Carroll was greeted by cheers from a small sea of red-clad faithful.
Keen to paint himself as the underdog as Labor sought a historic fourth straight term, Mr Carroll’s event was notable in its omissions: the woman he deposed and her controversial predecessor as state premier.
Polls suggest his government is staring down a heavy election defeat less than a fortnight out from election day.
On the other side of Melbourne, Opposition Leader Jess Wilson was welcomed by hundreds more at the glitzy Glasshouse, overlooking Olympic Park.
There, she was supported by ex-Liberal premiers Jeff Kennett, Denis Napthine and Ted Baillieu.
In Labor’s camp, the two most recent premiers, Daniel Andrews and Jacinta Allan, were absent, although party heavyweights Steve Bracks, John Brumby and Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles turned out to show their support.
“They would have been made aware of the event, of course,” Mr Carroll told reporters when asked about Mr Andrews and Ms Allan’s non-attendance.
In a small room filled with supporters, Mr Carroll used the launch in Moonee Ponds to unveil a $1.2 billion announcement to deliver 100,000 extra planned surgeries.
The coalition previously unveiled its own plan for boosting elective surgery, although its scheme involved outsourcing work to private hospitals.
Mr Carroll described the surgery plan as a “holistic” way to slash wait times across the public system, compared to a coalition scheme to use private hospitals to clear backlogs.
About 250 people packed into the hall, including party members with many holding up signs that read “fighting for working people”.
Mr Carroll addressed the crowd for nearly 50 minutes after being introduced by his wife, Fiona Rothville, who spoke candidly about her difficult pregnancy and experiences navigating the health care system.
Across town, a river of royal blue T-shirts flowed into Collingwood Football Club’s headquarters for the Liberals’ campaign launch.
Ms Wilson told supporters the coalition offered a “fresh start for Victoria”, promising lower costs, no new or increased taxes, better roads, reduced crime, more jobs and a “government that works”.
“We have a mountain to climb, 16 seats to win,” she said.
“But my promise to you is that I will leave nothing on the table between now and 6pm on the 28th of November.”
Opening Sunday’s launch, Victorian Liberal Party president Brian Loughnane warned it would be a tight race.
“All of us have seen elections won or lost in the last fortnight and this election is not over, we must not think it’s over,” he said.
The coalition on Sunday released a policy for youth offender bootcamps, during which those convicted of crimes would be forced to do farm work, laundry, cooking and attend daily education programs.
Under the pledge, young offenders would be sent to a new, in-house program at the former Dhurringile Prison, in central Victoria, in a scheme inspired by Queensland’s Circuit Breaker program.
Courts will be given the power to send offenders aged 14 to 17 to the bootcamp as an alternative to a community corrections order or other custodial sentence.
Offenders would be ordered to take part in the daily program, where tasks include physical activity, farm work, cleaning, maintenance and cooking.
Recent polls point to a likely victory for the opposition at the November 28 election.
The Australian Financial Review/RedBridge/Accent Research’s latest poll pegged the coalition’s primary vote at 31 per cent, ahead of a declining Labor on 23 per cent.
One Nation was steady at 22 per cent and the Greens at 15 per cent in the survey.
AAP