Promises – we’ve heard them all before

By Russell Bennett
THE recent raft of hills pledges from the State Government and the Opposition should come as no surprise to local voters.
Two of the three hills electorates were either snatched back or narrowly retained in the 2006 State Election.
The ALP snared Gembrook on preferences, while the Liberal candidate for Evelyn regained the seat she lost in 2002.
Liberal candidate for Gembrook Brad Battin is trying to wrestle control of the electorate from sitting member Tammy Lobato, who relied on preferences to get her over the line in 2006.
Ms Lobato ultimately scraped through in the last election with 50.7 per cent of the two-party preferred vote after preferences, compared to the 49.3 per cent of then Liberal candidate Simon Wilde.
In the last six weeks, the two major parties have pledged more than six million dollars to the electorate in an effort to persuade voters.
The State Government’s massive $6 million redevelopment plan for Emerald Primary School was almost immediately matched by the Coalition.
While Labor comfortably won the seat of Monbulk in 2006, the area has not been excluded from the recent barrage of pledges from both sides.
Labor’s $10.3 million announcement for the Puffing Billy Railway affects the Monbulk and Gembrook seats and has the potential to sway key Gembrook voters.
Sitting Evelyn Liberal MP Christine Fyffe defeated incumbent ALP opponent Heather McTaggart in 2006.
Ms McTaggart defeated Ms Fyffe for the seat in 2002.
The Evelyn electorate has been the focus of a number of recent pledges, particularly by the Coalition.
Ms Fyffe promised more than $280,000 for Mount Evelyn’s Birmingham Primary School and the Mount Evelyn Tennis Club.
ALP candidate Peter Harris said he saw the seat as winnable, saying: “We’re working as hard as we can.”
“Our pledges are actually pledges, they’re costed by Treasury. We have committed to them if we’re returned at the polls.
“The Opposition’s promises are not Treasury costed.
“It’s a lot easier to make such promises from Opposition.”
Ms Fyffe agreed the fight for the seat would be close, saying: “Evelyn is a marginal seat, so it is always a tight campaign.”
“The community is responding well to the policies I have released and they’re all fully budgeted and costed.
“The community would not accept any less from me.”
The Mail will keep a tally of all campaign pledges and hold politicians accountable for their promises post-election.