Melton candidates go head-to-head, reveal preferences in radio debate

Melton Library: 23 days until Election day

Testy talkback callers, a fire truck emblazoned with slogans and a “freedom” fighter all featured during a radio broadcast in the marginal seat of Melton, as the main candidates went head-to-head publicly for the first time in the state election campaign.

Melton has been held by Labor since it was created 30 years ago, but is a realistic prospect of changing hands on November 26. Labor incumbent MP Steve McGhie has a notional 5 per cent margin under newly redrawn boundaries and is fighting to hold onto the seat from Liberal candidate Graham Watt and independent Dr Ian Birchall.

ABC Radio Melbourne’s Mornings show broadcasting from the marginal seat of Melton on Thursday.Credit:Rachael Dexter

During the 2½-hour broadcast, the main issues raised by candidates were infrastructure-focused: why construction has not yet started on the Melton Hospital promised four years ago; why the train line in the area has never been electrified; and how developers are allowed to create more and more homes ahead of adequate roads and services.

In front of an audience of about 30 people, mainly retirees, ABC Radio Melbourne host Virginia Trioli asked McGhie why there was a perception that Labor had taken for the area granted.

“I don’t think the tide’s turning,” he said of Labor’s prospects this election.

“As the member for the last four years, all I can report back on is what we’ve done in that last four years. And I can tell you, there’s been a hell of a lot done in this electorate and we’ll continue to do it if we’re lucky to be re-elected.”

Labor’s vote slipped in Melton at the last two state elections, even as its overall popularity increased. Now the seat, which is 45-minutes west of the CBD, has been earmarked as a target seat for Labor – meaning it’s at the top of the list for party resources and election announcements.

McGhie boasts of bringing over $2 billion of infrastructure into the seat in his four-year term, and Labor has splashed major announcements in the past month, including the promised removal of three level crossings, numerous school builds and upgrades, and most recently, a new TAFE.

“I think we’ll go OK, I think we’ll hold the seat,” McGhie said. “By what margin? I don’t know, but I don’t want to be too overconfident.”

Preferences were also discussed, and it emerged that the Liberals and leading independent candidate Birchall – who came within 700 votes of winning the seat after preferences in 2018 – would do a deal. Nearly 40 per cent of Melton voters put their primary vote with an independent at the last election.

“I think that the performance of the Labor Party over the last four years and over the last 30 years, [it] would be difficult for us to preference them,” Watt said in response to the question of whether his party would funnel votes to Birchall.

Birchall, who told The Age his group had been approached by Watt to discuss preferences for how-to-vote cards, said on air: “I’m hoping for them [Liberal’s preferences], because from our point of view we’re putting both majors last, so we don’t have a preference for where they go.”

The Age has previously reported that if 2018’s voting patterns were replicated under the new boundaries in Melton, which cut out Bacchus Marsh, Birchall could get over the line to win the seat if he accrues 80 per cent of Liberal’s preferences.

A fire truck drove past the broadcast location emblazoned with messages about Melton’s neglect – a catchcry that has been adopted by both the Liberals and Birchall’s campaigns.

There were guffaws from Birchall’s support group – which includes GP and campaign manager Dr Marcus Watson – when a talkback caller named Simon suggested the independent’s push for a private hospital in Melton near the to-be-built public hospital would water down access to free healthcare.

“We need free public access and the only way to make something private is to sell a public asset,” he said, as Birchall’s group shook their heads and scoffed.

“Guess it’s maybe stacked by Liberals and maybe Ian’s group,” Simon said in response.

The broadcast came the same day that the ABC revealed hundreds of millions of dollars in funding collected from landowners for growth areas – including in Melton – had not been allocated, despite roads and public transport not keeping up with exploding populations.

Freedom Party Victoria candidate Tony Dobran.Credit:Rachael Dexter

Minor parties also made appearances: Tony Dobran from the newly formed Freedom Party Victoria spent much of his airtime railing against vaccine mandates and “bodily autonomy over our bodies”, while Animal Justice Party representative Andy Meddick said he believed Labor would hold Melton.

One talkback caller remarked at the end of the show: “I’ve never seen so much interest in our region”.

This story is part of our in-depth local coverage of the key seats of Melton, Hawthorn and Richmond at the November state election.

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