Election Special

Sue Munro

Werribee District
Party:
Victorian Socialists

Hi, I’m Sue. I’m a mum, a nurse and an activist of more than 20 years. I’m running in this year’s state election as your Victorian Socialists candidate for Werribee.

I have lived here in the Werribee/Hoppers area for 20 years now. I have been involved in community campaigns for disability access, public housing, fighting against racism, supporting the LGBTQ community, supporting reproductive freedom for women and much more.

I am also mum to two now adult kids who have experienced significant disability and illness in their lives. I have lived experience of the hardships many people in Werribee face, from paying rent, to substandard public transport, to overcrowded roads, to limited healthcare options, to an understaffed hospital that will not provide reproductive freedom to women.

I know a lot of people are worried about crime and youth crime, and that there are a lot of people with simple solutions that have been proven not to work in the past. People in poverty and with no hope don’t get healed by prison and often come out more harmed and do more harm.

Werribee doesn’t need more Labour Party neglect or false hope from the Liberals. The Greens don’t understand working-class communities and One Nation has voted against workers’ interests over and over again.

Werribee needs public housing to be expanded, rent freezes, and better access to health services, including mental health services. Werribee needs permanently free public transport and improved bus reliability, sensible responses to crime and addiction, and new housing estates with access to public transport and health care.

Werribee doesn’t need more neglect and business interests getting more of a say than regular people or underfunded schools and hospitals.

Werribee is a beautiful multicultural community that needs to be nurtured and cared for by the government as we grow.

Question 1: Are you aligned with any political parties (for independents) and to where are your preferences going?

I am a member of the Victorian Socialists. Our party preferences are for left-wing and left-leaning parties.

Major parties are preferenced low, and right-wing parties are preferenced the lowest.

Question 2: What is your position on data centres in the western suburbs? Do you think there should be a moratorium? Should they be independently powered by wind, solar, coal, or nuclear?

No new data centres.

Data centres have detrimental environmental footprints, disproportionately high water and electricity demands, and no community benefits to the areas where they are placed.

Existing data centres should be required to meet mandatory standards on water consumption, energy use and renewable energy sourcing, with binding targets and enforceable penalties for non-compliance.

Question 3: How will you improve public transport options in the west?

Public transport should be free for all and in state hands, not run for profit by billionaires and corporations.

That requires a lot more investment in infrastructure, so there is more availability of public transport to meet the extra patronage that will come with free public transport.

Question 4: What will you do to reduce air pollution in the western suburbs?

Victorian Socialists have involved ourselves in community campaigns and organised protests about air pollution, including the Kealba Landfill fire.

Significant investment in renewable energy sources is necessary, and those who harm the environment and the living standards of the community shouldn’t be let off or given a slap on the wrist.

Question 5: How do you propose to deal with homelessness and housing affordability in the West?

Build public, not social, housing on mass, homeless people should be housed and provided with funding for mental health treatment and drug and alcohol treatment where needed, as well as a helping hand into education and employment where possible.

Rent freezes should be introduced to stop profiteering, housing is a human right, not something that should be left to the whims of real estate agents, property developers and the investor market.

Question 6: What is your policy on abortion?

Safe and freely available women’s health care must be available for all health services, including terminations. Women have a right to choose.

Question 7: What should be done to combat crime?

Lock them up has never worked. It costs over $100,000 a year to house a prisoner for 12 months. That money could be better invested in improving child protection, programs to keep young people in school, and actually providing genuine help for mental health and addiction.

Safe public housing and genuine employment opportunities would also help. You can be punitive, or you can rehabilitate people, but you cannot do both.

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