Armed for War on La Trobe

By Callan Date and Casey Neill
A FORMER counter-terrorism policeman up against an ex-War on Terror soldier – the federal seat of La Trobe is set to be one fierce fight.
The battle lines for sitting member and Liberal MP Jason Wood and ALP candidate Rodney Cocks were officially drawn when Prime Minister John Howard announced that 24 November would be the date when the country heads to the polls.
La Trobe, which stretches from Narre Warren North and Berwick in the west up to Boronia and across to Cockatoo in the east, is held by the Liberals by just 5 per cent.
Bookmakers can hardly split the pair with the ALP at $1.80 and Liberal at $1.95 to win the seat of La Trobe.
Mr Wood was first elected in 2004 with the seat in Liberal hands since 1990.
But the ALP has thrown in a glamour candidate in Mr Cocks to contest the upcoming election.
The Duntroon Military College graduate and Victorian of the Year in 2005 has advised the United Nations on security issues and helped restore peace in East Timor. He has also served in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Mr Wood, a former Senior Sergeant in Victoria Police’s Counter Terrorism Coordination Unit, knows he has a challenge on his hands.
He defeated ALP candidate Susan Davies in the 2004 election and has since delivered some big ticket items to his electorate.
“This election is about the growth and prosperity of our local community and Australia over the next three years,” Mr Wood said.
“A strong and well managed economy has benefited us in the La Trobe electorate with substantial federal investments in major infrastructure, services and other important programs.
“A Federal Labor Government will not deliver the essential services that the people of La Trobe require because they don’t have the plans or experience,” Mr Wood said.
But Mr Cocks disagreed.
“This election is about the future,” he said.
“And this election is about who can deliver new leadership for Australia’s future. La Trobe can’t afford three more years of a government that has lost touch with this community,” Mr Cocks said.
Mr Cocks has strongly backed ALP leader Kevin Rudd’s plans for an education revolution, a national plan to fix State Government run hospitals and scrapping Australian Workplace Agreements employment contracts.
Mr Wood used the opportunity to increase pressure on the ALP to unveil their taxation plan, while Mr Cocks challenged the La Trobe incumbent to clarify his stance on nuclear power and respond to his constituents’ concerns about housing affordability.
Both men have had experience on the front line and, with the rules of engagement now drawn, have six weeks to do their utmost to get elected.