By Parker McKenzie
Greens candidate for Aston Angelica Di Camillo is hoping to build on a strong result for the party at the 2022 federal election on both a local and national level.
After making her first foray into politics during last year’s Victorian state election, Ms Di Camillo said she decided to run as the Greens candidate in the state seat of Rowville because she wanted to take action and “be around people who really care.”
“I was so inspired by the incredible people that I met that really cared about the future of politics and also just I really care about the future of young people, especially in Aston, because I know there’s no way that I could personally afford a home in the area,” she said.
“It’s stressful for young people to feel that way, knowing that they can’t necessarily live in areas that they want to. Those kinds of pressures pushed me to want to speak out on these issues.”
She said she was attracted to the Greens because the party “offered a refreshing view of politics for everyday people.”
“It’s so easy to get really disenfranchised with politics, but I found that all of their policies really care about people and the planet over anything else, especially over big business,” she said.
“The Greens are adamant that they’re strong to their values and don’t waiver on that, so that was really powerful and I wanted to be involved in it.”
Raised in Rowville, Ms Di Camillo works as a project manager for an engineering consulting company focused on sustainable buildings and infrastructure.
She said the effects and causes of climate change are an issue that should be addressed, with coal and gas contributing to extreme weather patterns.
“Instead of pouring more fuel on the fire and opening up more coal and gas, we really need to stop it. The current government isn’t doing that, they’re wavering,” Ms De Camillo said.
“There are so many opportunities to create thousands of jobs in renewables and exciting opportunities there and the Greens have really solid plans for a clean transition there and making sure the workers are included in that conversation. “
Ms Di Camillo said another major issue for the people of Aston is the cost of living crisis, which is “causing everyday people to suffer.”
“Interest rates increasing and then banks being able to profit off that during the hard times is something that the Aston individuals shouldn’t have to suffer through,” she said.
“That’s why Greens are pushing for freeze rent and mortgages to keep up with this increased cost of living and also to push fully funded dental and mental health into Medicare so that individuals aren’t paying for those kinds of essentials.”
The Greens achieved good results at the 2022 federal election in Aston, an “exciting” 3.22 per cent increase in first-party preference, which was the party’s best result in the electorate.
Ms Di Camillo said she believes the result is because people have realised there are more options than just Liberal and Labor.
“For too long, the major parties have benefited because they haven’t been held accountable to their promises,” she said.
“There’s been a real shift and a real change in the air, people understand how powerful their vote really is and they won’t be taken for granted any longer.”
The Aston by-election will be held on Saturday 1 April.
The Aston electorate covers Bayswater, Boronia, Ferntree Gully, Knoxfield, Rowville, Scoresby, The Basin, Wantirna and Wantirna South, and parts of Lysterfield, Sassafras and Upper Ferntree Gully.
