By ALESHA CAPONE
AS THE Federal Election on 7 September draws closer, the two main parties have thrown their hats into the ring to contest seats across the West.
Within the large Brimbank municipality are four federal electorates.
Calwell covers the suburbs of Keilor, Keilor Downs, Tullamarine, Taylors Lakes and Sydenham.
Gellibrand takes in Albion, Ardeer, Brooklyn, Sunshine and Sunshine West.
Gorton includes Albanvale, Burnside, Cairnlea, Deer Park, Delahey, Derrimut, Hillside and Kings Park.
Maribyrnong covers Kealba, Keilor East, St Albans and Sunshine North.
Although some of the electoral boundaries were adjusted by the Australian Electoral Commission earlier this year, all the areas are considered safe Labor seats.
Calwell is presently held by the ALP’s Maria Vamvakinou, who has served in the seat for more than a decade.
In the upcoming election, Ms Vamvakinou will be standing against Liberal Party candidate Ali Khan.
Other candidates for Calwell come from the Australian Christian Party (ACP), Palmer United Australia (PUA), Katter’s Australian Party (KAP), the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) and the Australian Sex Party (ASP).
In Gellibrand, the ALP’s Nicola Roxon – Australia’s first female Attorney-General -retired last week when parliament was dissolved before the election campaign officially started.
Labor’s Tim Watts will run Gellibrand against David McConnell from the Liberal Party and Rod Swift from the Greens, plus candidates from the PUA, ASP and ACP.
In Gorton, Labor MP Brendan O’Connor, who is also the Minister for Employment and Minister for Skills and Training, will again run for his long-held seat.
He will be standing against Phil Humphreys from the Liberal Party, Dinesh Jayasuriya from the Greens, the ACP, PUA, DLP, KAP and ASP.
In Maribyrnong, Bill Shorten – the Minister for Education and Workplace Relations – will seek re-election.
He will be up against Ted Hatzakortzian from the Liberals, Greens’ candidate Richard Keech, PUA, DLP and ASP.
