By Ethan Benedicto
With Prime Minister Anthony Albanese calling the election for May 3, Bruce electorate’s seat is once more on the table.
Current Labor and Bruce MP, Julian Hill, has had a solid foundation in the electorate since his election in 2016, and even more so with his strong wins in both the 2019 and 2022 elections.
Like before, he maintains a foundation of multicultural affairs and social cohesion, as well as housing affordability, international education and student support.
A strong Liberal contender is in the works, however, with Zahd Safi seeing endorsement from long-time La Trobe MP Jason Wood, who announced his candidacy in March 2024.
As stated on his website, Safi has a strong initiative for better access to mental health services, ‘real cost-of-living relief’, and safety.
The Greens also have a hand to play, with Rhonda Garad, a City of Greater Dandenong councillor, as their representative for the electorate.
On her website, she states that she has a ‘proven track record of getting things done’, holding a strong focus on the cost of rent, mortgages and food, as well as cheaper groceries.
Garad, reflecting the wider Greens’ initiative, is pushing for a rent freeze and tackling interest rate increases and higher taxation for large corporations.
One Nation has Bianca Colecchia as their representative, with a goal of ‘restoring political neutrality and critical thinking’ in educational institutions; youth crime is also a focus, citing ‘mass migration’s strain on housing and infrastructure’.
Family First has Wendy Birchall, with a focus on ‘less unnecessary taxes’ and a strong traditional focus on families and freedom of speech.
Bruce has been an ALP stronghold since 1996, but with a demographic shift that extends further south to Cranbourne North and east to Berwick, Hill is looking at a close fight in the coming months.
