LABOR’S Sarah Race has entered the last week of the election campaign focussing on health. The healthcare and social assistance sector is the biggest employer on the peninsula with almost 10,000 workers; over 15% of the local workforce. The sector is worth almost $1b to the local economy and supports tens of thousands of people who need medical care, aged care, mental health care, or NDIS support.
“Health, aged care and disability support touch every family on the peninsula. Labor backs our 10,000 health workers and the local families that rely on their support.” Race said.
Race told The News that Labor is building Australia’s future by building the health system and helping with the cost of living including:
- opening an Urgent Care Clinic in Somerville for local, free, urgent care for our communitie
- making more GP visits free
- making medicine cheaper by capping the price of a PBS script at $25
- investing over $700m into women’s health, including slashing the cost of contraceptives and menopause prescriptions, and more support for endometriosis
- investing $1b into mental health, including a new national early intervention service which anyone can access, for free mental health support without waiting for a referral or being worried about a gap fee
- training thousands more doctors, nurses and mental health workers.
“These are real commitments and real policies that will be delivered by a re-elected Labor government,” said Race. “For the peninsula, it is just too important to risk it with the Liberals approach to essential public services, which is to cut. Or the platitudes that have been sprayed across the peninsula by independents. “I want healthcare on the peninsula to be more Australian, and nothing is more Australian than Medicare. The Liberals want an American health system where our local families pay more, and that’s not the right move for the peninsula.”
Picture: Supplied
Liberal candidate Zoe McKenzie continued the momentum of campaign promises this week, with three major announcements, despite being isolated for five after contracting Covid. The first was that a “future Liberal government will deliver a long-overdue upgrade to the Frankston to Baxter Rail Line – committing up to $900m to support the full business case, early works, and construction of this transformative transport project”. McKenzie was still able to make this announcement in person before testing positive for Covid.
Her next two major announcements were made remotely, the first of which was a $40,000 commitment by an elected Liberal government to repair the Somerville Scout Hall roof. “The 1st Somerville Scout Group calls Somerville Scout Hall their home, where they provide invaluable support and opportunities for young people in Somerville and surrounds,” said McKenzie. “The roof of Somerville Scout Hall is in desperate need of repair. Wet weather makes the Scout Hall uninhabitable for weekly Scout meetings and water damage is starting to set in.”
The next announcement, made the day before Anzac Day, was a $5m commitment to establish a new Veterans’ and Families’ Hub at Rosebud RSL. McKenzie said the new Hub in Rosebud would provide a critically important space for veterans’ services and advocacy organisations to co-exist and deliver integrated support to current and ex-service personnel and their families.
“I’ve had strong feedback from the local community about the need for a veterans’ and families’ hub. The Mornington Peninsula is fortunate to have our own naval base, HMAS Cerberus, as well as a big community of veterans and their families,” McKenzie said. “This investment is more important than ever”, said Rosebud RSL president Bruce Turner. “The expansion of our wellbeing area and services offered will greatly benefit the veterans and the local communities and give us a greater opportunity to assist smaller RSL’s across the peninsula with veteran welfare support.”
Picture: Supplied
Ben Smith’s independent campaign had a final week message it wanted out to the voters of Flinders: “Thousands of conversations. Hundreds of volunteers. One clear message: it’s time to vote independent”. Lucy Keller from the Smith campaign told The News the campaign is celebrating the “unstoppable momentum behind his people-powered movement”.
“In just a few short months, Ben’s volunteer supporter base has grown from a handful of volunteers to more than 650 dedicated locals of all ages from Sorrento to Somerville,” said Keller. “Together the team has spoken to over 50,000 voters and put up more than 800 signs on people’s fences. This huge effort has meant that the campaign is also now supported by over 500 local donors. “Ben’s message to voters is simple: the peninsula has been taken for granted by the major parties for too long, and this election is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to turn that around.”
With election day looming, Keller said the Smith’s campaign will be “running at full tilt, with hundreds of volunteers staffing early voting booths, knocking on doors, and reminding voters that only an independent will fight for the peninsula without party interference.” The community group Independents for Flinders, who selected Smith as their candidate say they couldn’t be prouder. “Ben’s vision for the peninsula has inspired us all and we’re so proud we chose him,” said Pam Pitt, a coordinator of I4F. “He’s not just talking about change – he’s talking about real solutions to the problems our community faces, and that’s why we’re backing him all the way.” “We’re not just fighting for a seat – we’re fighting for our future,” Smith told The News. “This final week is all about ensuring the people of the peninsula know they have a real choice, and that choice is independent.”
In other candidate news, true to his word, ex-Trumpet of Patriots candidate Jason Smart has been busy campaigning with One Nation’s Mike Brown. Smart “withdrew” from the race on 21 April and pledged to support Brown after the a head office decision to place Ben Smith as the Trumpet of Patriots second preference.
First published in the Mornington News – 29 April 2025
