by Cam Lucadou-Wells
Isaac Greens candidate Matthew Kirwan has accused sitting MP Mark Dreyfus of ushering in a “toothless” anti-corruption commission.
Dreyfus has held Isaacs since 2007, on a comfortable margin of nearly 7 per cent at the previous election.
With a recent electoral distribution, the seat is nominally safer for the Labor Party, Kirwan says.
Its boundaries now absorb more of ALP-leaning Greater Dandenong, including Kirwan’s home suburb Noble Park, Dandenong West, Keysborough and Springvale South.
However voters are feeling “dissatisfaction” and “disappointment” against the Federal Government and its lack of “meaningful action”, Kirwan says.
An example is Dreyfus’s “tepid” and “toothless” National Anti-Corruption Commission, initially reluctant to investigate the Robodebt scandal or to conduct public hearings, he says.
“They’re more concerned with managing perceptions than solving people’s problems.”
Similarly, Kirwan accuses the Government of only taking “baby steps” on creating more social housing – despite the acute need.
Kirwan’s election agenda includes a “fairer tax system” to solve rising inequality and the cost of living, as well as “affordable homes”, “quality public services” and renewable-energy investment.
Public mental health and dental care at Dandenong Hospital is “severely under-funded”, with public dental “rationed” to children and concession-card holders, he says.
“But even then they have an average waiting time of 641 days to wait – not a practical alternative.”
The delays were causing “potentially preventable hospitalisations” – the highest rate being children aged 5-9 years he said.
“By having a fairer tax system we can fund things we all need, like dental and mental health into Medicare and make sure you can see the GP for free – making a real dent in the cost of living.
“It’s a community where there is a significant disadvantage. We need a future where no one is left behind and everyone can access affordable homes and quality public services.”
He says many in Isaacs are “personally affected by the Palestine situation or are people seeking asylum living in community detention”.
“Only the Greens are serious about global justice issues and stand by the oppressed.”
After eight years as a councillor, Kirwan works in “policy and project management roles” in state and local government.
He grew up in Keysborough and lives in Noble Park with wife Jenny and two daughters.
