PM Julia Gillard at the community cabinet in Werribee. 73396 Picture: DAMJAN JANEVSKI
By XAVIER SMERDON
IN A modest school gym in Werribee last week the top politicians in Australia answered questions from ordinary people in a truly unique event.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard hosted the Community Cabinet meeting which gave residents a chance to grill people like Kevin Rudd and Peter Garrett at the Werribee Primary School last Wednesday.
As storm clouds gathered so did a crowd of more than 200 people, keen to take part in the first such event in the western suburbs of Melbourne.
Ms Gillard said the meeting was a sign that the government was dedicated to improving the situation in the West.
“We are here largely because we are asked, begged, or demanded whatever the right word would be, by the local councils through the Lead West organisation to come to Melbourne’s West and conduct a community cabinet,” Ms Gillard said.
“I know as a local member in this area and someone who has their home in the West that for too long people have viewed the West as an area of disadvantage.”
While many people relished the chance to get up close and personal to the nation’s leaders, some were left disappointed by the evening.
“They didn’t really give any actual answers,” one resident said.
“It was basically a chance for them to talk about how good they are and how much stuff they’ve already done.”
Ms Gillard used the opportunity to assure residents that jobs, transport and health would continue to be improved in Wyndham and the rest of the West.
“The West is an area that has sometimes struggled to get people the job opportunities they need and we want to make sure that we are working with you and managing the national economy so that it works in the interest of working people,” she said.
“We’ve also heard constantly your cries for more infrastructure because this is a place of rapid growth that means we need to keep investing in infrastructure.”
