LABOR’S new Frankston candidate Paul Edbrooke says Frankston “is a great place to live and work” but “deserves better representation” than sitting MP Geoff Shaw.
Mr Edbrooke told The Times he would push for Frankston to be given a better deal on health, transport and education if elected at November’s state election.
The 35-year-old firefighter’s selection as the ALP’s Frankston candidate has been mired in controversy after Mr Edbrooke was given special dispensation to be considered as a candidate despite not being a member of the party.
Long-time Labor Party members put their hand up for preselection but missed out to the newcomer.
Frankston councillor Colin Hampton and Raelene Kilkenny, mother of Labor’s Carrum candidate Sonya Kilkenny, nominated for preselection.
Frankston councillor James Dooley, a member of the Labor Party for more than 20 years, was keen to seek preselection but Labor insiders have told The Times he was advised he would have “no chance” after Mr Edbrooke made his intentions to run known.
The party did not hold a rank-and-file vote to let local ALP members have a say in who would replace Helen Constas as Frankston’s hopeful.
Ms Constas stepped down as the ALP’s first choice candidate in June after it emerged a bullying claim against her while she was CEO of the Peninsula Community Legal Centre was settled out of court.
Oppostion leader Daniel Andrews said this had not been disclosed to the party during its preselection process.
Mr Edbrooke denied he had been approached by the party to stand.
“I approached the Labor Party,” he said. “I was brought up with strong Labor values and have helped out voluntarily for many years.”
He has been a firefighter based at Frankston Fire Brigade for 13 years and is a United Firefighters Union representative.
The Mt Eliza resident admitted he lived “just outside” the electorate he hoped to represent but said he considered himself to be “closer to Frankston” than Mt Eliza.
Mr Edbrooke was a school teacher before he joined the fire brigade. He told The Times he worked “on short term contracts” at schools including Frankston Special Developmental School and Mahogany Rise Primary in Frankston North.
“As a former teacher I’m disappointed the TAFE system has been ripped apart by the Napthine government,” he said.
“It’s important to give hope to kids that they can get the education they need to get a good job.”
Ambulance ramping times at Frankston Hospital and public transport including the rejuvenation of Frankston station and its surrounds were also cited as key concerns by Mr Edbrooke.
While Labor has lost a candidate and been forced to go through another preselection process, Liberal candidate Sean Armistead has been out and about meeting Frankston residents to try to win votes.
Former Liberal, now independent MP, Geoff Shaw won the Frankston seat from former Labor incumbent Alastair Harkness in 2010 by just 2.1 per cent.
Electorate boundaries redistribution late last year is estimated to have cut that slim margin even further to 0.4 per cent.
Mr Edbrooke and Mr Armistead’s chances of winning Frankston for their respective parties could hinge on Mr Shaw’s preferences if the maverick MP does not have enough support to win the seat outright in November.
