2006 Victorian state election
2006 Victorian state election major party leaders | |||
---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Labor | ||
File:Robert Doyle.jpg | File:Steve Bracks.jpg | ||
Robert Doyle Opposition Leader |
Steve Bracks Premier of Victoria | ||
Age | 52 | Age | 51 |
Parliament | 14 years | Parliament | 12 years |
Leader since | 2002 | Leader since | 1999 |
District | Malvern | District | Williamstown |
Profession | Teacher | Profession | Teacher |
Spouse | Separated | Spouse | Terry Bracks |
The state election for the 56th Parliament of Victoria is scheduled for 25 November 2006. Just under 3 million Victorians will elect 88 members to the Legislative Assembly and, for the first time, 40 members to the Legislative Council under a proportional representation system. The party or coalition that wins the majority of seats in the Legislative Assembly will form the new government of Victoria.
The Australian Labor Party government of Premier Steve Bracks, first elected in 1999, is seeking a third consecutive term. It is pitted against the Liberal Party of Australia opposition of Robert Doyle and its traditional coalition partner, the National Party of Australia.
Minor parties are expected to make major showings at this election. According to some analysts, the Victorian Greens party could win the balance of power in the Legislative Council if it repeats its 2002 state election polling.[1]
Key dates
Terms are now fixed at four years. Key dates for the election are:
- 7 Nov 2006 Close of rolls
- 10 Nov 2006 Close of nominations
- 25 Nov 2006 Election day
Electoral Districts and Regions
Parliament of Victoria
Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is the chamber of government in the Parliament of Victoria. It consists of 88 members directly elected under a preferential voting system. The state is divided into 88 electorates called districts for voting purposes. Each district consists of approximately 38,000 eligible voters. After the 2002 state election, the ALP held 62 seats, the Liberals 17 and the Nationals 7. Two seats are held by independent members.
The table belows lists all 88 districts alphabetically, including the sitting members, their party affiliation and the swing required for members to lose their seats. Also included are the corresponding Legislative Council regions and former provinces.
Composition of the Legislative Assembly of the 55th Parliament of Victoria | 2006 result | Legislative Council equivalent | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
District | Sitting Member | Political Party | Margin | Status | Retain/Gain | Old province | New region | ||
Albert Park | John Thwaites | Australian Labor Party | 4.80% | Fairly Safe | - | Monash | Southern Metropolitan | ||
Altona | Lynne Kosky | Australian Labor Party | 24.70% | Very Safe | - | Melbourne West | Western Metropolitan | ||
Ballarat East | Geoff Howard | Australian Labor Party | 7.62% | Safe | - | Ballarat | Western Victoria | ||
Ballarat West | Karen Overington | Australian Labor Party | 9.01% | Safe | - | Ballarat | Western Victoria | ||
Bass | Ken Smith | Liberal Party of Australia | 0.65% | Marginal | - | Western Port | Eastern Victoria | ||
Bayswater | Peter Lockwood | Australian Labor Party | 2.75% | Marginal | - | Silvan | Eastern Metropolitan | ||
Bellarine | Lisa Neville | Australian Labor Party | 8.26% | Safe | - | Geelong | Western Victoria | ||
Benalla | Bill Sykes | National Party of Australia | 1.98% | Marginal | - | Central Highlands | Northern Victoria | ||
Benambra | Tony Plowman | Liberal Party of Australia | 4.04% | Fairly Safe | - | North Eastern | Northern Victoria | ||
Bendigo East | Jacinta Allan | Australian Labor Party | 12.97% | Safe | - | North Western | Northern Victoria | ||
Bendigo West | Bob Cameron | Australian Labor Party | 15.95% | Safe | - | North Western | Northern Victoria | ||
Bentleigh | Rob Hudson | Australian Labor Party | 4.75% | Fairly Safe | - | Higinbotham | Eastern Metropolitan | ||
Box Hill | Robert Clark | Liberal Party of Australia | 1.10% | Marginal | - | East Yarra | Eastern Metropolitan | ||
Brighton | Louise Asher | Liberal Party of Australia | 7.42% | Safe | - | Higinbotham | Southern Metropolitan | ||
Broadmeadows | John Brumby | Australian Labor Party | 30.79% | Very Safe | - | Melbourne North | Northern Metropolitan | ||
Brunswick | Carlo Carli | Australian Labor Party | 9.30% | Safe | - | Melbourne | Northern Metropolitan | ||
Bulleen | Nicholas Kotsiras | Liberal Party of Australia | 2.65% | Marginal | - | Templestowe | Eastern Metropolitan | ||
Bundoora | Sheryl Garbutt | Australian Labor Party | 17.58% | Safe | - | Jika Jika | Northern Metropolitan | ||
Burwood | Bob Stensholt | Australian Labor Party | 5.10% | Fairly Safe | - | East Yarra | Southern Metropolitan | ||
Carrum | Jenny Lindell | Australian Labor Party | 12.17% | Safe | - | Chelsea | South Eastern Metropolitan | ||
Caulfield | Helen Shardey | Liberal Party of Australia | 2.26% | Marginal | - | Monash | Southern Metropolitan | ||
Clayton | Hong Lim | Australian Labor Party | 23.85% | Very Safe | - | Waverly | South Eastern Metropolitan | ||
Cranbourne | Jude Perera | Australian Labor Party | 10.80% | Safe | - | Chelsea | South Eastern Metropolitan | ||
Dandenong | John Pandazopoulos | Australian Labor Party | 20.32% | Very Safe | - | Eumemmerring | South Eastern Metropolitan | ||
Derrimut | Telmo Languiller | Australian Labor Party | 27.31% | Very Safe | - | Doutta Galla | Western Metropolitan | ||
Doncaster | Victor Perton | Liberal Party of Australia | 0.78% | Marginal | - | Templestowe | Eastern Metropolitan | ||
Eltham | Steve Herbert | Australian Labor Party | 4.80% | Fairly Safe | - | Templestowe | Eastern Metropolitan | ||
Evelyn | Heather McTaggart | Australian Labor Party | 0.34% | Very Marginal | - | Central Highlands | Eastern Victoria | ||
Ferntree Gully | Anne Eckstein | Australian Labor Party | 2.29% | Marginal | - | Koonung | Eastern Metropolitan | ||
Footscray | Bruce Mildenhall | Australian Labor Party | 24.91% | Very Safe | - | Melbourne West | Western Metropolitan | ||
Forest Hill | Kirstie Marshall | Australian Labor Party | 5.79% | Fairly Safe | - | Koonung | Eastern Metropolitan | ||
Frankston | Alistair Harkness | Australian Labor Party | 5.78% | Fairly Safe | - | Chelsea | South Eastern Metropolitan | ||
Geelong | Ian Trezise | Australian Labor Party | 8.11% | Safe | - | Geelong | Western Victoria | ||
Gembrook | Tammy Lobato | Australian Labor Party | 1.59% | Marginal | - | Eumemmerring | Eastern Victoria | ||
Gippsland East | Craig Ingram | Independent | 11.75% | Safe | - | Gippsland | Eastern Victoria | ||
Gippsland South | Peter Ryan | National Party of Australia | 10.86% | Safe | - | Gippsland | Eastern Victoria | ||
Hastings | Rosy Buchanan | Australian Labor Party | 0.86% | Marginal | - | Western Port | Eastern Victoria | ||
Hawthorn | Ted Baillieu | Liberal Party of Australia | 5.89% | Fairly Safe | - | East Yarra | Southern Metropolitan | ||
Ivanhoe | Craig Langdon | Australian Labor Party | 12.50% | Safe | - | Templestowe | Northern Metropolitan | ||
Keilor | George Seitz | Australian Labor Party | 18.05% | Safe | - | Doutta Galla | Western Metropolitan | ||
Kew | Andrew McIntosh | Liberal Party of Australia | 5.99% | Fairly Safe | - | East Yarra | Southern Metropolitan | ||
Kilsyth | Dympna Beard | Australian Labor Party | 2.10% | Marginal | - | Silvan | Eastern Metropolitan | ||
Kororoit | André Haermeyer | Australian Labor Party | 27.06% | Very Safe | - | Doutta Galla | Western Metropolitan | ||
Lara | Peter Loney | Australian Labor Party | 22.35% | Very Safe | - | Geelong | Western Victoria | ||
Lowan | Hugh Delahunty | National Party of Australia | 17.09% | Safe | - | Western | Western Victoria | ||
Lyndhurst | Tim Holding | Australian Labor Party | 25.09% | Very Safe | - | Chelsea | South Eastern Metropolitan | ||
Macedon | Joanne Duncan | Australian Labor Party | 9.26% | Safe | - | Ballarat | Northern Victoria | ||
Malvern | Robert Doyle | Liberal Party of Australia | 10.19% | Safe | - | Monash | Southern Metropolitan | ||
Melbourne | Bronwyn Pike | Australian Labor Party | 1.93% | Marginal | - | Melbourne | Northern Metropolitan | ||
Melton | Don Nardella | Australian Labor Party | 15.33% | Safe | - | Ballarat | Western Victoria | ||
Mildura | Russell Savage | Independent | 18.46% | Safe | - | North Western | Northern Victoria | ||
Mill Park | Lily D'Ambrosio | Australian Labor Party | 26.79% | Safe | - | Jika Jika | Northern Metropolitan | ||
Mitcham | Tony Robinson | Australian Labor Party | 7.69% | Fairly Safe | - | Koonung | Eastern Metropolitan | ||
Monbulk | James Merlino | Australian Labor Party | 8.27% | Safe | - | Silvan | Eastern Victoria | ||
Mordialloc | Janice Munt | Australian Labor Party | 4.54% | Fairly Safe | - | Higinbotham | South Eastern Metropolitan | ||
Mornington | Robin Cooper | Liberal Party of Australia | 1.83% | Marginal | - | Western Port | Eastern Victoria | ||
Morwell | Brendan Jenkins | Australian Labor Party | 4.87% | Fairly Safe | Gippsland | Eastern Victoria | |||
Mount Waverley | Maxine Morand | Australian Labor Party | 2.30% | Marginal | - | Waverley | South Eastern Metropolitan | ||
Mulgrave | Daniel Andrews | Australian Labor Party | 16.23% | Safe | - | Waverley | South Eastern Metropolitan | ||
Murray Valley | Ken Jasper | National Party of Australia | 13.90% | Safe | - | North Eastern | Northern Victoria | ||
Narracan | Ian Maxfield | Australian Labor Party | 6.83% | Fairly Safe | - | Gippsland | Eastern Victoria | ||
Narre Warren North | Luke Donnellan | Australian Labor Party | 9.71% | Safe | - | Eumemmerring | South Eastern Metropolitan | ||
Narre Warren South | Dale Wilson | Australian Labor Party | 12.61% | Safe | - | Eumemmerring | South Eastern Metropolitan | ||
Nepean | Martin Dixon | Liberal Party of Australia | 0.18% | Very Marginal | - | Western Port | Eastern Victoria | ||
Niddrie | Rob Hulls | Australian Labor Party | 16.61% | Safe | - | Doutta Galla | Western Metropolitan | ||
Northcote | Mary Delahunty | Australian Labor Party | 28.33% | Very Safe | - | Jika Jika | Northern Metropolitan | ||
Oakleigh | Ann Barker | Australian Labor Party | 15.22% | Safe | - | Waverley | Southern Metropolitan | ||
Pascoe Vale | Christine Campbell | Australian Labor Party | 24.21% | Very Safe | - | Melbourne North | Western Metropolitan | ||
Polwarth | Terry Mulder | Liberal Party of Australia | 9.54% | Safe | - | Western | Western Victoria | ||
Prahan | Tony Lupton | Australian Labor Party | 4.43% | Fairly Safe | - | Monash | Southern Metropolitan | ||
Preston | Michael Leighton | Australian Labor Party | 25.76% | Very Safe | - | Jika Jika | Northern Metropolitan | ||
Richmond | Richard Wynne | Australian Labor Party | 3.10% | Marginal | - | Melbourne | Northern Metropolitan | ||
Ripon | Joe Helper | Australian Labor Party | 7.44% | Safe | - | Western | Western Victoria | ||
Rodney | Noel Maughan | National Party of Australia | 9.96% | Safe | - | North Eastern | Northern Victoria | ||
Sandringham | Murray Thompson | Liberal Party of Australia | 3.04% | Marginal | - | Higinbotham | Southern Metropolitan | ||
Scoresby | Kim Wells | Liberal Party of Australia | 3.33% | Marginal | - | Koonung | Eastern Metropolitan | ||
Seymour | Ben Hardman | Australian Labor Party | 9.50% | Safe | - | Central Highlands | Northern Metropolitan | ||
Shepparton | Elizabeth Powell | National Party of Australia | 4.28% | Marginal | - | North Eastern | Northern Victoria | ||
South Barwon | Michael Crutchfield | Australian Labor Party | 5.02% | Fairly Safe | - | Geelong | Western Victoria | ||
South-West Coast | Denis Napthine | Liberal Party of Australia | 0.75% | Very Marginal | - | Western | Western Victoria | ||
Swan Hill | Peter Walsh | National Party of Australia | 14.16% | Safe | - | North Western | Northern Victoria | ||
Tarneit | Mary Gillett | Australian Labor Party | 17.41% | Safe | - | Melbourne West | Western Metropolitan | ||
Thomastown | Peter Batchelor | Australian Labor Party | 31.75% | Very Safe | - | Melbourne North | Northern Metropolitan | ||
Warrandyte | Phil Honeywood | Liberal Party of Australia | 6.36% | Fairly Safe | - | Silvan | Eastern Metropolitan | ||
Williamstown | Steve Bracks | Australian Labor Party | 25.72% | Very Safe | - | Melbourne West | Western Metropolitan | ||
Yan Yean | Danielle Green | Australian Labor Party | 9.54% | Safe | - | Central Highlands | Northern Metropolitan | ||
Yuroke | Liz Beattie | Australian Labor Party | 22.89% | Very Safe | - | Melbourne North | Western Metropolitan | ||
Source: Victorian Electoral Commission[2] |
Marginal seats
Marginal seats are those lower house districts that are the most tightly contested. A marginal seat's sitting member won that seat at the previous election by only a small margin. In means opposition candidates have a greater chance of winning the seat at the upcoming election. There is no universal definition for a marginal seat. For Victorian purposes, a 3% to 4% margin is a good indication that a seat is marginal.
The table below lists the 20 most marginal seats in Victoria. It shows how once strong seats, such as Sandringham for the Liberals and Richmond for the ALP, can become marginal over time. However, seat margins do not always change because of dissatisfication with sitting members. New political players may emerge. Also, redistribution or redistricting can change voting trends in the seat. For example, the once strong inner city ALP districts of Melbourne and Richmond are now marginal because of the unexpected success of the Victorian Greens at the 2002 election. Many safe Liberal seats, such as Bass and Mount Waverley, are now marginal because redistricting in 2002 increased the number of traditional ALP voters in the seat.
Marginal seats of the Legislative Assembly of the 55th Parliament of Victoria |
Result in previous elections and winning margin | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
District | Sitting Member | Political Party | 2002 | 1999 | 1996 | 1992 | |||
Nepean^ | Martin Dixon | Liberal Party of Australia | 0.18% | 6.2% | 8.1% | 12.0% | |||
Evelyn | Heather McTaggart | Australian Labor Party | 0.34% | 9.5% | 12.2% | 15.2% | |||
Bass^ | Ken Smith | Liberal Party of Australia | 0.65% | * | 12.6% | 17.9% | |||
South-West Coast^ | Dennis Napthine | Liberal Party of Australia | 0.75% | 8.9% | 13.8% | 25.8% | |||
Doncaster | Victor Perton | Liberal Party of Australia | 0.78% | 13.3% | 15.0% | 18.2% | |||
Hastings^ | Rosy Buchanan | Australian Labor Party | 0.86% | N/A | N/A | N/A | |||
Box Hill | Robert Clark | Liberal Party of Australia | 1.10% | 7.6% | 10.3% | 13.2% | |||
Gembrook^ | Tammy Lobato | Australian Labor Party | 1.59% | 6.5% | 11.1% | 13.3% | |||
Mornington | Robin Cooper | Liberal Party of Australia | 1.83% | 5.7% | 11.3% | 13.0% | |||
Melbourne | Bronwyn Pike | Australian Labor Party | 0.34% | 13.8% | 15.9% | 12.1% | |||
Benalla | Bill Sykes | National Party of Australia | 1.98% | 7.4% | 15.3% | 20.8% | |||
Kilsyth^ | Dympna Beard | Australian Labor Party | 2.10% | 10.9% | 12.2% | 10.1% | |||
Caulfield | Helen Shardey | Liberal Party of Australia | 2.26% | 8.5% | 9.3% | 13.2% | |||
Ferntree Gully^ | Anne Eckstein | Australian Labor Party | 2.29% | 7.3% | 7.9% | 6.1% | |||
Mount Waverley^ | Maxine Morand | Australian Labor Party | 2.30% | 13.2% | 15.7% | 19.5% | |||
Bulleen | Nicholas Kotsiras | Liberal Party of Australia | 2.65% | 11.6% | 14.6% | 17.5% | |||
Bayswater | Peter Lockwood | Australian Labor Party | 2.75% | 4.7% | 7.1% | 7.1% | |||
Sandringham | Murray Thompson | Liberal Party of Australia | 3.04% | 12.5% | 14.3% | 19.9% | |||
Richmond | Richard Wynne | Australian Labor Party | 3.10% | 16.2% | 17.3% | 13.3% | |||
Scoresby^ | Kim Wells | Liberal Party of Australia | 3.33% | 11.9% | 13.1% | 14.1% | |||
^ Seat created in 2002; results are for previous equivalent seat. * Won by independent; no two-party margin. N/A New seat; no electoral history. Source: Victorian Electoral Commission[3] |
By-elections
Opinion Polls
A Morgan Poll on 4 March 2006 found that ALP support rose 1.5% from January to 60.5%. This translated to a significant lead of 21% over the L-NP (39.5%) on a two-party preferred basis. With primary support for the Liberal Party was declining, if a Victorian State Election had been held in February, the ALP would have won easily. Primary support for the Greens was 7.5% (unchanged), Australian Democrats 2.5% (unchanged), National Party 2.5% (unchanged), Family First 2.5% (up 0.5%) and Independent Candidates and Other Parties 5% (up 1%)[4].
Legislative Council
Major Parties
Minor Parties
Parties
Australian Labor Party - Victorian Branch
Tim Pallas will enter Parliament in November. Pallas, Premier Steve Bracks' chief of staff, defeated Labor parliamentary secretary Mary Gillett for Labor preselection for the safe seat of Tarneit.
Liberal-National Coalition
Liberal leader Robert Doyle stated he would be willing to have coalition talks with the Nationals after the election. The two conservative parties have acknowledged they would try to form a coalition if that was necessary to defeat Labor.
But tensions have emerged between the coalition partners over issues such as the Liberal policy of halving tolls on the EastLink freeway. Nationals leader Peter Ryan has stated that his party did not back the policy, because it would mean public money was spent on motorists in Melbourne's eastern suburbs, at the expense of services for country Victorians[5].
Liberal Party of Australia - Victorian Branch
During March 2006, Phil Honeywood, the Deputy Opposition Leader, then Victor Perton both announced they would not contest the next election. This contributed to ongoing speculation about Robert Doyle's leadership, during which Ted Baillieu emerged as a possible challenger. Tensions between the Liberal factions were largely resolved with the appointment of Louise Asher as deputy opposition leader[6], with Doyle retaining the leadership unchallenged.
National Party of Australia - Victoria
The Australian Greens - Victoria
Greg Barber, former City of Yarra mayor, won Greens preselection to contest contest a seat in the upper house region of Northern Metropolitan, where the Greens are considered most to likely win their first seat in the Victorian Parliament.
Sue Pennicuik, a co-covener of the state party, was preselected for the Southern Metropolitan region.
Bill Pemberton and Marcus Ward were preselected for the Eastern and Western Metropolitan regions respectively[7].
Based on the Greens' vote at the 2002 election the party would have picked up a seat in both the Northern and Southern Metropolitan regions. Political experts believe that the Greens may hold the balance of power after the next state election.
Christian Democratic Party (Fred Nile Group)
Australian Democrats (Victorian Division)
Independents
Other Parties and Groups
Other parties registered in Victoria that may field candidates include:
- Citizens Electoral Council (Victorian Division)
- Democratic Labor Party (DLP) of Australia
- Socialist Alliance (Victoria)
- Country Alliance
People Power, a group formed in 2000 by Vern Hughes and Stephen Mayne, has announced an intention to field a team of candidates for both lower and upper house seats[8]. This group is not currently registered as a political party but has announced intentions to run candidates for both the upper and lower houses.
Family First announced Cameron Eastman as their lead candidate and spokesperson for the election. Eastman works in a civilian capacity for the Victoria Police and will contest the upper house region of Eastern Victoria. Eastman stated that the party had no hidden agendas, despite being labelled an arm of the Christian Right movement. "There's no formal structural approach to churches in any way," he said[9]. He also stated that Family First's Victorian campaign would include a strong anti-gambling stance and would raise concerns about hospital waiting lists and the sale of public assets.
The Campaign
By April 2006, Labor still has not formally launched their campaign to retain office. However, the Bracks government has been criticised for spending about $9 million on a taxpayer-funded pre-election television advertising blitz promoting its record in the politically sensitive areas of hospitals, police, schools, major projects, the rural economy and programs such as "Our Water Our Future". Robert Doyle stated that "this is using our money to promote Steve Bracks and the Labor Party. If the ALP want to promote themselves, let them spend their own money — not yours and mine". Premier Steve Bracks defended the advertisements, stating "the Government has regularly run ads to highlight the work of and recruit new teachers, police and nurses as well as encourage business investment in Victoria"[10].
The Nationals then the Liberals launch their campaigns seperately
The state leader of the Nationals, Peter Ryan, used his opening address to the Nationals' annual conference held on 7 April 2006 at the All Seasons "quality resort" in Bendigo to "officially" launch his party's campaign.[11] Prior to the launch, Ryan stated that the National party will support the introduction of minimum prison sentences for serious crimes to ensure that sentences more accurately reflect community expectations[12]. At the launch, Ryan stressed the importance of the family unit and traditional values, and criticised Melbourne Labor for its lack of vision and the decision to pre-select city-based candidates to contest Upper House seats in country areas[13].
Opposition Leader Robert Doyle launched the Liberals' campaign on Sunday 9 April at the Hawthorn campus of Melbourne University Private. Doyle unveiled a policy to reintroduce a 10 per cent speed zone tolerance, replacing the 3 km/h tolerance enforced by Labor, to make speed cameras more visible and to abolish bonus payments to speed camera operators who book large numbers of drivers. Acting premier John Thwaites said the policy was dangerous, stating that "We all know that speeding causes deaths, and yet the Opposition is now giving a green light for people to speed".[14]
People Power pop up
Peter Allan, a People Power candidate for the upper house, stated on 18 April 2006 that they will be running an anti-poker machine platform under the umbrella of their party[15]. They are apparently hoping to emulate the success of "no-pokies" candidates Nick Xenophon and Anne Bressington at the recent South Australian election.
The Government announces water saving strategies, but its environmental credentials are criticised
Victorian Environment Minister John Thwaites unveiled the Government's draft water strategy on 20 April 2006. The strategy aims to take some pressure off over-stressed rivers through tougher water-saving targets and fines for individuals. With demand in Melbourne and elsewhere expected to outstrip supply within 15 years, water is emerging prominant environmental issue of the campaign. Opposition spokesman David Davis said the Government's promise to flush an extra 20 billion litres into the Yarra was "a very small drop in the river", and called for more action to clean up the polluted river[16].
The Wilderness Society and the Australian Conservation Foundation have also criticised the Bracks Government's continued support for logging of water catchments as a contributing factor to the looming water shortage[17]. Clearfell logging and woodchipping of Victorian forests has also been linked to the destruction of critical habitat for threatened species such as Leadbeater's possum, Victoria’s endangered faunal emblem[18].
The Bracks Government raised the ire of environment groups in September 2005 with its decision to to expand Hazelwood power station's operations to at least 2031. This decision was labelled "as an environmental tragedy that will be fought through legal action" due to Hazelwood being Australia’s worst climate change polluting power station. Marcus Godhino from Environment Victoria stated “this is a gutless, tragic decision by Steve Bracks. Hazelwood was the Premier’s number one environmental test. He has now failed.” Greenpeace and the Australian Conservation Foundation also strongly criticised the decision[19].
Some directions for Labor's campaign are revealed
The Victorian ALP's draft policy platform "Rising to the Challenges" partly revealed the direction a third-term re-elected Bracks Labor Government would take. The platform includes as priorities encouraging the greater use of public transport, replacing hundreds of old school buildings and legalising abortion. Labor would also promise public interest statements on all future public-private partnerships and include a value-for-money comparison with full public funding. The door is left open to public-private partnerships to rebuild old schools. It would consider payroll tax exemptions as an incentive to employers to offer 14 weeks paid maternity leave and push for two weeks paternity leave. Nuclear energy would be banned, and Labor would accelerate the development of renewable energy technologies. The platform also allows room for more new toll roads but rules out tolls on existing roads. The platform commits Labor to maintaining a minimum budget surplus of $100 million and to closely manage "recurrent expenditure".
In an apparent shift of focus from building new freeways and tollways, the Government's long-awaited transport and liveability statement concentrating on outer suburbs is referenced and "the [pressing] need for a quantum leap in funding for public transport" is mentioned. Under health, the platform commits the Labor Party to reducing waiting times for emergency treatment, elective surgery and dental care. The draft platform will be debated by the party's state conference in May, after which the Government would then "develop the specific election commitments it will put to Victorian voters at the historic first fixed-term election" on November 25, 2006, Mr Bracks wrote[20].
References
- ^ "Analysis: The Draft Victorian Legislative Council Boundaries, Antony Green, ABC Elections Victoria, 2006
- ^ "State Election 2002 Results, VEC
- ^ "Australia's modern political dilemma", The Age, 18 September 2005
- ^ "L-NP Continues To Lose Ground To ALP In Victoria", Roy Morgan Research, 4 March 2006
- ^ "Liberals, Nationals to consider coalition", The Age, 10 April 2006
- ^ "A rival-turned-ally rescues Doyle's leadership", The Age, 31 March 2006
- ^ "Ex-Yarra mayor in Greens poll bid", The Age, 26 December 2005
- ^ "People Power - Victorian State Election
- ^ "Ex-naval officer hopes for Family First victory, The Age, 18 April 2006
- ^ "Bracks attacked over $9m ad campaign, The Age, 22 November 2005
- ^ "It's only 33 weeks for Doyle, The Age, 7 April 2006
- ^ "Nationals to support minimum sentencing, National Victoria Media Release, 6 April 2006
- ^ "Traditional values feature at campaign launch, National Victoria Media Release, 7 April 2006
- ^ "Doyle slams speed cam 'slug'", The Age, 10 April 2006
- ^ "Anti-pokies candidates set sights on November poll, The Age, 19 April 2006
- ^ "Water plan won't save rivers from over-use, The Age, 21 April 2006
- ^ "Central Highlands Information, Water Catchments in the Central Highlands, The Wilderness Society
- ^ "Premier Bracks allows destruction of old growth trees and endangered wildlife on Melbourne’s fringe, The Wilderness Society and Australian Conservation Foundation Media Release, 6 February 2006
- ^ "Steve Bracks condemns Victoria to climate change, Environment Victoria, Media Release, 6 September 2005
- ^ "ALP spells out plans for third term, The Age, 23 April 2006