Rhonda Garad – Greens
1. Where do you live, and how long have you lived there?
I live in Dandenong and have raised my four children here. It’s my home and I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else.
2. Why did you choose to run for the seat of Bruce?
As a second-term local councillor, I’ve seen firsthand how Bruce has been overlooked because it’s considered a “safe labor seat.” Neighbouring electorates get the funding and attention, while our community misses out. I’m running to change that.
3. Why did you choose to join your party?
I joined the Greens because they put people and communities first—not big corporations. They stand for fairness and believe everyone should have access to essential services like free, high-quality healthcare and education in a wealthy country like Australia.
4. As the cost of living is the focus of this election, what is your number one policy to reduce the cost of living for the people of Bruce?
We’re pushing for bold action—breaking up the supermarket duopoly to lower food prices, stopping unlimited rent hikes, and making housing more affordable. Our no-deposit first-home buyer scheme and cheaper mortgage options will help renters become owners. We’ll also invest directly in public and affordable housing—something Bruce desperately needs.
5. Why are you the best candidate for Bruce?
I live in Bruce, love this community, and want it to thrive. I’ve run a family business for 25 years, raised four kids, completed a PhD, and now work as a public health expert at Monash University. I’ll bring both lived experience and professional expertise to Canberra.
6. Can you tell us about your life outside of work?
I’m a proud grandmother of two, and I enjoy cycling on our local trails. I’m also active in community and environmental groups that work to make our area cleaner, safer, and more sustainable.
7. What do you believe are the three biggest issues facing the Bruce electorate?
· Soaring cost of living—rents, mortgages, groceries, health, and education
· Lack of affordable housing and public homes, with youth priced out of the area
· Struggling small businesses, which need urgent support to survive and grow
8. Local question on housing affordability:
We’re the only party with real solutions: a no-deposit home buyer scheme, direct public and affordable housing investment, and fairer tax rules. Right now, low- and middle-income people are subsidising wealthy landlords. That must change.
Julian Hill – Labor Party
1. Where do you live and how long have you lived there?
I live in Dandenong. I grew up in southeast Melbourne and studied, lived and worked in our area for years. I went to Monash Uni and lived near the city while raising my daughter, and have been living in Bruce again for over a decade.
2. Why did you choose to run for the seat of Bruce?
Since 2016 I’ve represented our community with energy and determination. I am a genuine local who cares deeply about helping people, and am determined to stand up for everyone in our community and keep working hard for our area.
3. Why did you choose to join your party?
My mum was a kind woman who grew up in a poor family that couldn’t afford the uniforms for her to complete high school. Mum was never able to fulfil her dream of being a Doctor, becoming a nurse instead as it was free. This seared in me a belief that everyone deserves a fair chance at life. With a bit of hard work and luck, anyone in Australia should be able to succeed and be treated fairly. Politics is not a team game, but government has to be, so I don’t believe in parties of protest. I’m prepared to do the hard work of being our community’s voice in a party of government and actually do things. Labor is the world’s oldest social democratic party, which I proudly joined over 30 years ago.
4. As the cost of living is the focus of this election, what is your number one policy to reduce the cost of living for the people of Bruce?
There’s no single thing, I am working with the Government to tackle the cost of living pressures from every possible angle. Inflation is falling, wages are up, interest rate cuts have started, debt forecasts are lower, and while the economy continues to strengthen, practical help for people remains essential. Tax cuts, cheaper medicines, cheaper childcare, seeing a GP for free again, power bill relief for households and small businesses, Free TAFE, student debt relief. Building more houses and tackling grocery prices and supermarket behaviour through competition reform.
5. Why are you the best candidate for Bruce?
Bringing extensive experience in federal, state, and local government and working with businesses, I know how to get good outcomes and actually deliver for our area. I have a track record of doing the hard work to bring people together and achieve things. Saving the Doveton pool, getting our fair share of infrastructure and community funding after the Liberals gave us nothing and a historic agreement that will see all of our primary and secondary schools fully and fairly funded. Unlike some candidates, I have a decades-long reputation for integrity and decency and for treating everyone fairly.
6. Can you tell us about your life outside of work?
What life?! Being a good MP is a privileged role but, some days, a terrible job. Frankly, politics done properly is a vocation, not a job, and you don’t have much of a life, but I am energised by helping people and work. I spend time when I can with my daughter and family, the odd trip away or time bushwalking or down the beach, reading and thinking.
7. What do you believe are the three biggest issues facing the Bruce electorate?
* Cost of Living: Labor has practical plans to actually help people, yet the Liberals have opposed every single cost of living measure, and the Greens just yell and block things in the Senate to make problems worse.
* Medicare and the health system. We will make the largest single investment in Medicare ever to fix GP bulk billing so everyone can see a GP for free again and boost mental health support.
* Access to quality education for their kids: Labor has ensured all public schools are now on a path to full funding, legislated to guarantee at least 100,000 free TAFE places each year, has made HECS repayments fairer and will cut student debt by 20% if re-elected.
8. Local question: What concrete policies and local commitments will be implemented in order to ensure that housing becomes accessible for low- income and middle-income residents in the community?
The core problem is that Australia has not been building enough houses. After nine years of no action on the housing supply under the Liberals, it’s been a tough time for renters and potential first-time home buyers, along with mortgage-stressed homeowners, as the Reserve Bank raised interest rates to get inflation down. A re-elected Labor Government will guarantee a portion of a first home buyer’s home loan, so they can buy a home with a 5
