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.
