The Greek heavy community of Hotham, an electorate that encompasses the Victorian suburbs of Bentleigh East, Oakleigh, Clarinda, Heatherton, Cheltnam and Moorabin, has a new Labor candidate.
Geoff Lake was elected last week to the position vacated by Labor veteran, Simon Crean, and is poised to champion multicultural rights if he gets elected in this year’s election.
“It’s not one whole community but a number of different communities, it’s a melting pot of many different communities and different needs,” Cr Lake told Neos Kosmos’ Kostas Nikolopoulos last week.
Cr Lake, a Monash City councillor, won Labor’s pre-selection with a 59 per cent swing over rival Rosemary Barker.
Cr Lake hopes to utilise Simon Crean’s reputation to bridge a gap between himself and the community.
“I’m hoping both through Simon, as a bit of a mentor to me, and through my close friends who are active in the Greek community, that I will have just as good a relationship, just as strong a relationship as Simon Crean had with the Greek community,” he said.
Cr Lake was a guest of honour at the ALP’s fundraising event last weekend in Oakleigh, with many Greek Labor MPs and Greek community members attending.
Simon Crean, who attended the event, endorsed Cr Lake and says he will be the right replacement in Hotham to challenge Liberal candidate Fazal Cader.
Mr Cader believes with an outgoing veteran minister, his chances of wining the 63 per cent safe Labor seat is more promising.
He hopes to target the struggles of small business in the electorate and expects it to influence voters.
Lalor seat filled
Primary school principal and Lalor local Joanne Ryan has filled Julia Gillard’s former seat of Lalor. The new candidate has been endorsed by the former Prime Minister and shares her view in education reform.
“Joanne was born and raised in Werribee and understands the issues that matter to local people,” Ms Gillard said.
Ms Ryan’s competition for the seat includes lawyer Nihal Samara for the Liberal Party and Greens candidate Beck Sheffield-Brotherton.