By Laura Wakely
LABOR’S candidate for the Niddrie by-election says he will be a “real, active, local” member of parliament.
Ben Carroll outpolled Jaclyn Symes, a staffer for outgoing Niddrie MP Rob Hulls, to be named the Labor Party candidate.
Mr Carroll is currently a staffer for Communications Minister Stephen Conroy and previously worked in the office of former premier Steve Bracks.
The seat of Niddrie was left vacant after Mr Hulls resigned last month.
Mr Carroll said he was a “true local”, having lived in Airport West for 35 years, despite currently living outside the electorate in Moonee Ponds.
He said his campaign would focus on health, jobs, the environment and education, in particular funding a masterplan for Essendon Keilor College.
“There’s a lot to do,” Mr Carroll said. “I’m not going to take any votes for granted.”
The Greens have also selected their candidate in Ascot Vale’s Josie Lester.
Ms Lester said she had played basketball in Keilor and spent a “fair amount of time” on Keilor Rd.
Labor has held the seat of Niddrie since its inception in the ’70s, but Ms Lester said that had led to the “neglect” of local issues.
She rated public transport, health access and education as the issues she would campaign on.
Australian Democrat candidate and Airport West resident Rob Livesay said he was running in the by-election because residents had been given the “rough end of the stick” because they lived in a safe Labor electorate.
The by-election will be held on Saturday 24 March and rolls close at 8pm on Thursday 1 March.
