Ted’s on tough trail

By Kath Gannaway
LIBERAL leader Ted Baillieu was preaching to the converted when he declared he was out to win back government on 27 November.
“We believe we can win, and we intend to win,” he said of the upcoming election; but there was a qualifier … “it’s up to the people of Victoria”.
It was predictable but, nonetheless, for the more than 130 party faithful attending a campaign breakfast in Mooroolbark last week, it was good to hear the plan at the start of what was predicted to be a long, tough campaign.
The breakfast was hosted by Liberals – Evelyn MP Christine Fyffe and Kilsyth MP David Hodgett.
Guests were drawn from business and community in the outer-east Liberal held seats of Evelyn (held by 2.8 per cent), Kilsyth (.27 per cent) and Ferntree Gully (Nick Wakeling .1 per cent), and the Labor seats of Gembrook (Tammy Lobato .60 per cent), Seymour (Ben Hardman 6.7 per cent) and Monbulk (James Merlino 6.53 per cent).
With the outer-east holding some of the most marginal seats on both sides of the Liberal/Labor divide, Mr Baillieu found some joy in revisiting the recent 13 per cent swing against Labor in the Altona by-election.
“We didn’t win that seat but that result in Labor heartland is very significant and for us, confirmation that the issues we have been raising for four years are the issues that are at the front and centre for all Victorians,” he said.
Questions from the floor and from the media following the breakfast gave an insight into the issues in the outer-east.
Law and order was on top of the list with transport, planning, housing affordability, the ongoing effect of the Black Saturday fires, control burns and licensing regulations on winery and tourism industries and the logging industry also identified. Mr Baillieu said a Liberal government would put police on every railway station in the metro area and major regional stations.
“Those who use the Lilydale line know that after dark services, if they do arrive, are problematic in terms of safety as well as (bus) connections,” he said.
He said under a Liberal party 940 police had been committed to the railway system, plus an extra 100 transit police.
On the problem of providing adequate policing in Yarra Ranges, Mr Baillieu said there was no magic wand.
“You can’t just create numbers over night, you have to train and retain,” he said making the link between police and the court system.
“You have to do the right thing by the coppers who are there now and every copper who says ‘I have had enough; I arrest people and they get a slap on the wrist’ is a copper who is likely to walk away from the job,” he said.
“The bottom line is, we need more cops.” On issues of council rates, planning and Neighbourhood Safer Places (NSPs) Mr Baillieu said a Liberal government would look at ways of redressing what he said had been an enormous cost shift from State Government to local councils.
“At the same time as this cost shift has been happening they have reduced the authority of councils,” he said.
He said this had a particular impact on shires such as Yarra Ranges where the rate base was meagre.