Labor launches bid for Narracan

Labor candidate for Narracan Jannette Langley supporters at her campaign launch On Saturday night that Labor was the only party that would stand up for working people.

Member for Eastern Victoria Region Tom McIntosh joined party faithful at Drouin East to launch Ms Langley's bid for Narracan at next month's state election.

A party that has not held the electorate since 2006, the Australian Labor Party (ALP) did not appear on the ballot paper at the previous state election after withdrawing when the Narracan election was moved to a supplementary date following a candidate's death.

Before moving to a supplementary election, ALP candidate Justin Seddon of Nar Nar Goon was announced as the ALP candidate only two weeks out from the election - which he said at the time was prompted by (now-outgoing) Member for Eastern Victoria Harriet Shing.

But, Ms Langley is confident Labor can make an impact in November, pointing to the electorate's changing demographics as a key decider this election.

"With so many new people in, they're not the traditional farmer type person or the retired farmer that moves into town," she said.

She also described having support from people who did not necessarily back Labor more broadly.

Ms Langley said Labor had invested in and upgraded local schools, helping to provide better facilities and opportunities for students at Drouin Secondary College, Drouin Primary School and Warragul North Primary School.
She said free kindergarten for three and four-year-olds was a huge saving for families, along with the announcement of a new kindergarten to be built in Drouin.
Ms Langley said Labor also had delivered sporting upgrades at Buln Buln, Drouin Recreation Reserve, Bellbird Park, Downton Park and the Warragul Leisure Centre.
"Train services have improved, with services running every 40 minutes, while fares have been reduced to make public transport more affordable.
"These are practical measures that make a real difference to working people, families and those who rely on public services," she said.
Ms Langley said her campaign team was a change from previous runs, adding that "it's really good to have a good team that regularly ran campaigns" compared to a more solo effort when running in the considerably larger electorate of Gippsland in the past.
She said each campaign she had participated in, whether state, federal or local government, had helped her improve her communication, and that she had learned to pace herself. "I was pretty well burnt out before I got to a polling day," she said of a previous campaign. This time, she said, she had taken "a little bit more of a back seat," adding that the campaign budget also shaped how long a campaign could run.
She said having experienced campaigners involved had made a difference. "It's really good to have a good team that regularly ran campaigns," she said.
One of the key players in her campaign this year is former Member for Narracan Ian Maxfield, the only successful Labor candidate to take office in the electorate.
Mr McIntosh said Labor would fight for every working Victorian, no matter where they lived.
"Every regional community deserves a strong voice, and Jannette has been fighting for Narracan since long before I met her," he said.