The battle

Indian-origin voters. Indian Link

Relating To

Preeti Jabbal (PJ): What are the two current issues that you will commit to advocate if you were to win?

Emanuele Cicchiello (EC): As an active community member and parent, I know that the daily issues affecting people in Bruce stem from cost of living pressures. Local families and businesses are struggling to keep with up with their rising electricity, gas and other utility bills. As part of a united Coalition team, I will immediately scrap the carbon tax to help alleviate these cost of living pressures and work hard to restore confidence to the Australian economy to support businesses and improve job security.

Local residents are also concerned about public safety and I have been fighting on their behalf to secure funding for crime prevention initiatives, such as CCTV cameras and security lighting. I recently announced that a Coalition Government would provide $400,000 for CCTV cameras to be installed in crime hotspots across Dandenong, and I will continue to work closely with the community and local police to deliver further initiatives to make Bruce a safer place to live and work.

Alan Griffin (AG): There are many issues that relate to both Bruce and the broader Australian community. Two that I believe are of great importance both locally and nationally are Labor’s Better Schools Plan and the National Broadband Network. Our Better Schools Plan will ensure we lift our school standards and give our children the chance to realise their full potential, which will help Australia remain a strong and prosperous economy. The NBN is an investment in Australia’s future. It will help our economy to remain strong by maximizing our potential in education, health care and business.

PJ: What are your thoughts on the East West Road link that is expected to boost the Greater Dandenong community?

EC: Building the missing link in Melbourne’s road network is a priority for Tony Abbott and his team. The Federal Coalition has pledged $1.5 billion to construction of the East-West Link to give commuters more time at home with their families and to boost productivity across the state. Families and businesses here in Bruce are tired of losing precious hours stuck in traffic. This landmark road project will clear traffic bottlenecks and get Melbourne moving again, but it will only become a reality under a Coalition Government.

AG: I believe that the best way to keep Melbourne moving involves investment in both its road AND rail infrastructure. Federal Labor has allocated $3 billion to build the Melbourne Metro rail project, which has been properly costed and recommended for funding by Infrastructure Australia. We will not be writing a blank cheque for the East West tunnel because we have yet to see a proper business case for it. There is a proper assessment process in place for such projects before any funding decisions are made. Greater Dandenong can’t afford a return to an unbalanced, ‘roads only’ approach that would result in more gridlock and congestion under Mr Abbott. He simply doesn’t believe in funding public transport infrastructure, and doesn’t understand Greater Dandenong’s importance as a public transport hub. The Rudd Labor Government understands that fixing traffic congestion is too big a task to simply say ‘it’s the State’s job’.

PJ: During your campaign have you come across any specific issues relating to the Indian community of Bruce and how do you intend to resolve them?

EC: I have enjoyed spending a great deal of my time over the past year with members of the Indian community in Bruce, attending functions as well as visiting the temple. People of Indian citizenship and nationality are our single largest intake of migrants to Australia and more importantly, they are the single biggest contributors to skilled migration. I recently attended the Sikh Temple in Blackburn with the Shadow Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Scott Morrison, where people raised the issue of Labor’s attack on 457 visas. The Indian community has been rightly outraged by Labor telling the Australian people that migrants are taking their jobs. I can assure the Indian community in Bruce that they will never hear this sort of rhetoric from a Coalition Government. We celebrate the contributions that the Indian community have made to Australia over generations and, if fortunate enough to be elected on September 7, I will continue to support the Indian community in Bruce.

AG: Indian migrants have similar concerns to most Australians, particularly those who have come to Australia from overseas to build a life for them and their families. Access to high quality education at all levels, the opportunity to find employment and the capacity to access good quality health care are all important priorities. Also the ability to sponsor family members to both visit and migrate to Australia. Labor’s Better Schools Plan, record investment in skills and training and increased support for Medicare all point to our commitment across these areas. That India is now our fourth largest migrant community and nearly 160,000 visited Australia in 2012 illustrates the significant growth in our links with India.

PJ: The Indian community’s middle income earners have contributed significantly to the Australian economy, but they feel ignored when it comes to policymaking and benefits. How does your party respond to that?

EC: People in the Indian community are genuinely concerned about the state of the economy and the future direction of our country under a Labor Government. Many people own small businesses and I have heard countless stories of declining profits, staff having to be laid off, and skyrocketing electricity and gas bills. Unlike Labor, the Coalition has strong economic credentials and a proven track record of managing budgets and, as part of a united Coalition team, I will work hard to restore a strong and secure economy to Australia so that businesses prosper and people feel secure in their employment. The Coalition will scrap the carbon tax, slash the red tape that has tied up small business in knots, and improve local health services and restore the Private Health Insurance rebate as soon as we responsibly can. We value the contributions