EARLY voting has begun in the Dunkley by-election.
Polling day for the by-election is on 2 March with eight candidates on the ballot – in ballot order they are Nathan Conroy (Liberal), Bronwyn Currie (Animal Justice), Chrysten Abraham (Libertarian), Reem Yunis (Victorian Socialists), Darren Bergwerf (Independent), Alex Breskin (Greens), Heath McKenzie (Australian Democrats), and Jodie Belyea (Labor).
Early voting centres have been set up at Lyrebird Community Centre in Carrum Downs, Functions by the Bay in Frankston, and 1st Ranelagh Scout Group in Mt Eliza. They are open from 8.30am to 5.30pm on weekdays (6pm on 1 March), and from 9am to 4pm on Saturday 24 February.
The Dunkley by-election was triggered by the death of incumbent MP Peta Murphy. She died of metastatic breast cancer in December.
Murphy won the seat for Labor in 2019. She retained it with an increased margin of 6.3 percent at the 2022 federal election.
Before Murphy’s 2019 win, the Liberals had held the seat since 1996. Bruce Billson was the local member for 20 of those years.
The Times sent questions to all candidates last week about their priorities. All candidates who responded* identified cost of living as one of the most prominent issues facing Dunkley voters.
Picture: Gary Sissons
JODIE BELYEA
(Labor Party)
What do you do for work?
I founded and run the Women’s Spirit Project, a local not-for-profit that supports local women doing it tough. Over 6 years, we’ve helped empower women overcoming trauma and abuse.
How long have you lived in Dunkley?
I have lived in Dunkley for more than a decade. I live in Frankston with my husband Dave, our son Flynn who studies at Frankston High School, and we’ve got two dogs and a mortgage.
Why did you decide to run in this by-election?
I’m running because I love our community, and I want to make a real difference and improve people’s lives.
The late Peta Murphy encouraged me to think about public service. Peta and I shared similar values: compassion, fairness and a deep commitment to social justice.
My priorities, are easing the cost of living, strengthening Medicare, housing affordability and improving access to fee-free TAFE.
What is the most prominent issue facing Dunkley voters?
When I’m out doorknocking in the community the top issue raised with me is cost of living.
My number one priority is helping locals with the cost of living – and that’s why I’m supportive of tax cuts to every taxpayer in Dunkley.
I’ll be a local MP that listens and advocates to make our local community in an even better place.
What local infrastructure projects should be prioritised?
We are delivering investment in local infrastructure – the Chisholm TAFE redevelopment, Hall Road upgrade, and the new Medicare Urgent Care Clinic.
Improving our health system, housing affordability, and making it easier for people to get access to TAFE and university, are priorities for me. At age 25, I went to TAFE as a mature aged student to study youth work and community development, it gave me the experience I needed to kick start my career.
What specific measures would you take to ease cost of living pressure?
I’m a strong supporter of giving tax relief to workers and Labor’s cost of living tax cuts will give every taxpayer in Dunkley a tax cut from 1 July. For instance, a retail worker at the Bayside Centre earning $73,000 a year will get a tax cut of $1,504 – that’s $804 more than under the Liberals.
Making prescription medicines cheaper is a practical way we can help older people with the cost of living.
Picture: Gary Sissons
NATHAN CONROY
(Liberal Party)
What do you do for work?
I have served as the mayor of Frankston City since 2021.
How long have you lived in Dunkley?
I have lived in Dunkley for six years. My wife, Steffie, was born and raised in Carrum Downs.
Why did you decide to run in this by-election?
In my time serving the community, I’ve seen first-hand that people are hurting under the Albanese Labor government. I’m passionate about the future of this community and believe I am the best candidate to represent it in federal parliament.
What is the most prominent issue facing Dunkley voters?
Voters are concerned about the Albanese government’s cost of living crisis, as well as Labor’s cuts to local infrastructure.
What local infrastructure projects should be prioritised?
Frankston-Baxter Rail Extension, Monterey Reserve Redevelopment in Frankston North, Bruce Park Pavilion in Frankston, Len Phelps Pavilion in Carrum Downs, and the revitalisation of Nepean Highway along with the modernisation of Mount Eliza Secondary College.
What specific measures would you take to ease cost of living pressure?
Under Labor, Australia’s inflation is higher than any major advanced economy. I’ll fight for – and be part of a team that delivers – responsible economic and energy policies that lower inflation and take pressure off interest rates.
For example, we don’t need the 10,000 new bureaucrats this year Labor are hiring. We need to focus on better service delivery. We also need to back small businesses, rather than burden them with red tape and higher costs – so they can deliver better value for customers and grow our economy.
BRONWYN CURRIE
(Animal Justice Party)
What do you do for work?
Convenor, Animal Justice Party Victoria.
How long have you lived in Dunkley?
I live minutes from Dunkley – I’m the AJP regional leader of South-East metro.
Why did you decide to run in this by-election?
Human and non-human animals deserve representation. The Labor government does not care for iconic wildlife, they have not fulfilled their promise to phase out live sheep export by sea, they have allowed duck shooting to continue, the kangaroo culls continue and they are missing huge economic advantage by not investing in plant based and cell based businesses that will help to ease the burden of our food systems and improve the climate crisis.
What local infrastructure projects should be prioritised?
Affordable and appropriate housing developments with wildlife corridors considered a priority in planning.
What specific measures would you take to ease cost of living pressure?
The AJP would see Veticare implemented which would directly assist people with the cost of living crisis through subsidised veterinary care, similar to medicare for human animals.
CHRYSTEN ABRAHAM
(Libertarian Party)
What do you do for work?
I’m an employment relations specialist (HR), and work for a locally owned business.
How long have you lived in Dunkley?
My fiancé Hayden and I rent in Frankston with our fur baby, Lacey, and I have lived on the peninsula most of my adult life.
Why did you decide to run in this by-election?
To see change, I believe you have to try to enact that change yourself. David Limbrick, our Libertarian MP for South-East Metro in Victorian Parliament has been able to make big, positive differences for our region, and if elected to Dunkley, I can absolutely make the same, positive impact at the federal level.
What local infrastructure projects should be prioritised?
If elected to represent our community, I will be advocating for the government to stop sending taxpayer money overseas, so it can be spent locally on educational infrastructure that enables school choice, such as vouchers to send your kids to a better school, or support for homeschooling. I’ll also advocate to cut red tape to enable more housing development, to increase the availability of rentals, apartments, units and houses.
What specific measures would you take to ease cost of living pressure?
Cut fuel tax – 49c per litre, cheaper transport costs leads to cheaper groceries.
Increase tax-free threshold to $45k, with flat 20% income tax.
Let energy companies work to find the cheapest source, not government. Legalise Nuclear.
Cut alcohol taxes – save $27 off a slab of beer.
We must increase housing supply to solve the housing crisis.
REEM YUNIS
(Victorian Socialists)
What do you do for work?
For the past 24 years I have been a teacher.
How long have you lived in Dunkley?
For the past year and a half I’ve lived in Clyde North with my two daughters and my grandchildren.
Why did you decide to run in this by-election?
There are two main reasons. I’m angered by the domination of big business interests in politics, and the lack of any real assistance to people doing it tough in the cost of living crisis. As a Palestinian-Australian I’ve also been appalled by Labor’s and the Liberal’s support for Israel’s war on Gaza. I want a government that stands against war and focuses on issues like housing, transport, education, and healthcare.
What local infrastructure projects should be prioritised?
I believe the Peninsula Rail Link should be built to extend the rail line to Rosebud. This should be the number one priority as it would have a number of positive flow-on effects like reducing traffic congestion and the problem of lack of parking around Frankston Station.
What specific measures would you take to ease cost of living pressure?
My policies include price controls on essential goods to stop supermarket giants and other corporations from ripping off consumers, a five-year freeze on rents, and establishing a free, publicly-run childcare system to reduce costs for families with young children.
DARREN BERGWERF
(Independent)
How long have you lived in Dunkley?
I have worked and lived in the Dunkley electorate since 2005
Why did you decide to run in this by-election?
I am running in this election to address the issues of: Expose Media bias and government corruption, drug, alcohol and mental service short falls, homelessness, housing/rental shortage crisis, exacerbated by excess (sic) immigration, cost of living, crime/suicide rates, which is a disassociated society. This needs to be rectified.
What specific measures would you take to ease cost of living pressure?
Monies being spent on new infrastructure when existing services are already serving the community and then redirect those monies to help the real needs of the community.
ALEX BRESKIN
(Greens)
What do you do for work?
I am a long-time campaigner, I studied information technology and systems in Monash University and I work full-time as a software engineer.
How long have you lived in Dunkley?
While I live a couple of suburbs over, I don’t currently live in the electorate. I’ve been living in this corner of Melbourne for over 25 years, and I love it.
Why did you decide to run in this by-election?
I believe the people of Dunkley should have a real choice of candidates and the option to vote for their values. As a Greens representative, I want to put real action on the climate crisis and tackling the cost of living on the agenda. By ending the billions of dollars in handouts to coal and gas corporations and making billionaires pay their fair share in tax, we can tackle the climate crisis and make sure no-one is left behind. Across Australia but especially here in Dunkley, people are feeling the pinch in this housing crisis. The Greens have a solution to fix the housing crisis by freezing rents and mortgages and building 1 million new homes.
What local infrastructure projects should be prioritised?
We need to prioritise public housing first and foremost so that everyone has a place to call home. Getting people into a home is the top priority to ensure people can get by. We also need to ensure the environment is taken care of, which will mean upgrading Kananook Creek and Saltwater Creeks oxygenating and filtration systems to prevent algae blooms. We also need local civil society propped up with more facilities for grassroots organisations to accommodate themselves in.
What specific measures would you take to ease cost of living pressure?
The government should make dental and mental health free under Medicare so people aren’t out of pocket for necessities. I will seek to wipe student debt, since the education of our country makes us richer without having to put the squeeze on people leaving education clawing away at a debt. We need to build a million new affordable homes so the people can actually afford a place to call their home.
*Australian Democrats candidate Heath McKenzie did not respond.
