Labor and Liberal candidates for the seat of Oakleigh – Steve Dimopoulos and Theo Zographos – will present their parties’ track records and visions for transport this week – arguably the key policy issue that will determine the outcome of the state election on November 29.

In a rare opportunity to quiz the major candidates about transport issues and their parties’ platforms, the forum will be chaired by Monash University transport expert Professor Graham Currie.

Professor Currie said the event was a chance for voters to hear the views of all sides of politics and for voters to have their say.

“Transport is a major problem locally … and it’s time for the parties to stand up and be counted on their policies,” said the Monash academic.

The Greens’ candidate for Oakleigh Steven Merriel will also be taking part.

Steve Dimopoulos told Neos Kosmos that he looked forward to presenting Labor’s “long-term commitment to public transport and providing more passenger capacity and a safer network”.

Mr Dimopoulos said Labor’s “comprehensive plan to ease congestion by removing level crossings and investing in road infrastructure” showed that
Labor was “serious about these long-term commitments. They have not just been announced on the eve of an election”.

Labor has promised if elected to remove 50 of the worst level crossings in the state, to double the size of the city loop and operate free trams in central
Melbourne. It has also vowed that the Huntingdale Bus Interchange will finally be built.

Labor’s transport policy has targeted the creation of 10,000 jobs in the construction industry with $2bn earmarked for roads, including upgrading the Tullamarine Freeway and Hoddle Street as well as boosting arterial road funding.

On the other side of the political divide, Theo Zographos said the forum would give him an opportunity to present “the Napthine government’s strong record of delivering key public transport infrastructure such as removing the level crossings that Labor ignored, building new train stations, and creating 10,000 new weekly public transport services”.

Mr Zographos added that during the debate he would contrast “Labor’s horrible record of neglecting public transport during its period in government” with “the [Napthine government’s] biggest ever investment in public transport in Victoria’s history”.

In May’s state budget, Premier Denis Napthine announced the Melbourne Rail Link project to increase the capacity of Melbourne’s rail network by 30 per cent and deliver a link to Melbourne Airport.

Melbourne’s East West Link, with its price tag of $6.8bn ($2bn of which will come from Victorian taxpayers) is the cornerstone of the Napthine government’s road infrastructure plans. Labor has vowed to ditch the project if elected.

Whatever the policy differences between the two major parties, the result in Oakleigh will be a tight run thing. The only result a punter might put his money on is that the victor in 2014 will be of Greek heritage.

At the 2010 election Ann Barker held the seat for Labor by the tightest of margins, with only 262 votes separating them from the Liberals. Labor and the Liberal party gained 12,888 and 12,616 votes respectively.

After preferences, despite a 7.7 per cent swing against it, Labor took 54 per cent of the vote (two-party preferred), with Theo Zographos coming in second place for the Liberal Party on 45 per cent.

Having represented Oakleigh since 1999, Anne Barker will retire at this election.

The Monash Metropolitan Transport Forum is an initiative of a group of councils who are hosting meetings across Melbourne in the lead-up to the election.

The forum will be held at Oakleigh Hall, 142-144 Drummond St, Oakleigh from 7.00-8.15 pm on Wednesday October 8. To register to attend or to suggest a question, go to transportforum.org.au/monash