Three Greek Australians are candidates in the March 15 South Australian elections. Labor’s Tom Koutsantonis is set to win his safe seat in West Torrens. First timer Anthony Antoniadis has an arduous task in the seat of Ramsay, which has been a safe Labor seat since its inception. Independent Senator Nick Xenophon launched his state election team last week, with the promise to attack cost of living with the policy platform announcements being: giving the Essential Services Commission real teeth over all government rates and charges; and a push to return SA Water profits to customers. The ‘Nick Xenophon Team’ Upper House candidates for the State Election will be MLC John Darley and Connie Bonaros.

Newcomer Mr Antoniadis says although Ramsay is a challenging seat for the Liberal party, he sees this opportunity to “lay a fresh foundation for the state moving forward” as a positive should he win or lose on March 15.

Since 2007, Mr Antoniadis has been involved in politics as a Young Liberal at the University of Adelaide. In the middle of last year, the opportunity arose for him to become a candidate. He did so because he believes that the Ramsay seat has been neglected by previous incumbents.

‘The electorate of Ramsay has – with the exception of the last eighteen months – been held by the former premier of South Australia and I feel the area was neglected and I don’t believe the due respect was paid to the area of Ramsay,” he tells Neos Kosmos.

With his knowledge of the area of Ramsay and his relationship with the members there, he said he sees this as an opportunity to make a difference should he be elected.

Like the Liberal Party leader Steven Marshall, Mr Antoniadis says he will focus on education and employment if elected.

“I’ve seen first hand the challenges from an education perspective,” he says. “I feel there needs to be a greater emphasis on the youth understanding how important education is to their lives and that will ultimately lead to greater employment opportunities.

“We are in a place where employment is difficult to find and to hold so I think we have a fantastic opportunity to emphasis the importance of education so we can get to a point of greater employment.”

Last week, the Premier of South Australia, Jay Weatherill, announced the state election date. On Sunday, Mr Weatherill visited Government House to dissolve parliament and officially launch the state’s four-week election campaign.

Leesa Vlahos, Member for Taylor, is looking to keep her safe seat come March 15.