By JESSE GRAHAM
ELECTION pledges for improvements around the Yarra Valley are to be confirmed following the election of a Coalition Government on the weekend.
The change of Federal leadership to Tony Abbott’s Liberal Party confirmed the pledges made by Casey MP Tony Smith in his pre-election campaign, which focused on sporting groups, the environment and community investments.
Mr Smith was re-elected on Saturday with 56.6 per cent of the vote after preferences, while Labor’s Cathy Farrell received 43.4 per cent of the vote after preferences.
He travelled throughout the electorate on polling day with former Casey MP Peter Falconer before heading to Lilydale to watch the results come in.
Mr Smith said he was humble to be re-elected and to begin his fifth term in office.
“To be re-elected with an increased majority in a much bigger electorate is an incredible responsibility,” he said.
“There’s 95,000 people voting, and when you get that support, you feel very humbled.
“Immediately, I started thinking about the next three years and how I can do the best job I possibly can.”
He said that he would be working “flat-out” to deliver the plans and pledges he announced during his re-election campaign.
Among the pledges made in the last month, Mr Smith announced a Coalition initiative to bring security cameras to Yarra Junction and Healesville, with a live-feed to police stations.
Sporting groups are also set to get a boost, with a pledge of $500,000 for a new sports pavilion for the Don Road Sporting Complex in Healesville and $50,000 for an upgrade to the Yarra Junction Football Netball Club’s facilities.
The environment was also the focus of Mr Smith’s campaign, with a promise to have the Coalition’s Green Army working at sites around Coldstream, Yarra Glen, Dixon’s Creek, Healesville and along the Warburton Trail.
Mr Smith has held the seat of Casey for 12 years.
At the time of deadline, Mr Smith had received 40,314 votes after preferences, while Ms Farrell received 30,940 and the seat of Indi, which covers Marysville and Toolangi, is still undecided.
