Election 2014: Final appeal to Jewish voters
WITH Victoria going to the polls, the current Premier Denis Napthine and the Leader of the Opposition Daniel Andrews have made a last bid for support from Jewish voters.
Writing in this week’s AJN, the Liberal and ALP leaders have both emphasised their pro-Israel bona fides and pledged financial support for communal institutions if they get the green light to form the state’s next government.
They also address wider issues facing Victoria.
With his opponent firmly in his sights, Liberal incumbent Napthine claims that Andrews “makes big promises but won’t tell how he can pay for them,” adding, “Labor simply cannot manage money.”
“Through strong financial management,” he writes, “we’ve repaired the budget.”
The challenger to the throne, meanwhile, claims that in the face of “an economic crisis”, the current government “appears to be adrift … unable to tell us where we are going or how we will get there”.
“I want to make Victoria the education state,” he writes, “because the best jobs start with the best skills.”
On the subject of Israel, Napthine reflects on the “collaboration in research and development” between Victoria and the Jewish State “fostered under the Coalition” and notes that the government has led a number of trade missions to boost the relationship.
With regards to the community, Napthine discusses grants of more than $2 million made to communal institutions and programs, promising further funding for the Jewish Holocaust Centre, the United Jewish Education Board and AJAX Football Club’s home ground.
For his part, Labor leader Andrews writes of Israel that “there’s hardly a piece of this planet that has fought so bravely to build something better for itself and the world”, insisting that he wants to “replicate Israel’s economic miracle here in Victoria … by bringing the seeds of the economic miracle to our shores”.
He also promises $500,000 to increase security at Beth Weizmann, stating “When their [the Jewish community’s] safety and independence is under threat, so is everyone else’s.”
While Napthine and Andrews duke it out, the Liberal and Labor candidates in the Jewish heartland of Caulfield are also making a last ditch bid for votes. ALP challenger Josh Burns told The AJN this week, “Choosing Labor this election means providing security funding for our schools, and upgrading security at Beth Weizmann. Across the state, Labor will be investing in education to ensure that every student receives the best opportunity as well as improving our health services for all Victorians. We have a plan for transport that will mean more public transport and less traffic for our drivers.
“I seek your support as someone who has lived in Caulfield my entire life as a proud Jew and look forward to strongly representing our community’s needs in Parliament.”
Liberal incumbent David Southwick said, “As the Member for Caulfield, it has been a privilege and an honour to serve as a strong voice for the Jewish community in the Parliament of Victoria over the past four years. I stand by the Victorian Coalition’s strong track record of delivering for our community.
“I, with a re-elected Napthine government, will continue to combat hate and prejudice in Victoria and promote better security, education and community programs through the upgrade of the Jewish Holocaust Centre, funding Jewish Special Religious Instruction in government schools, redeveloping the AJAX Football Club’s home facilities and a $1 million social cohesion fund.”
Read the leaders’ columns in this week’s AJN.
ZEDDY LAWRENCE
Eyes on the prize: Victorian premier Denis Napthine (right) with opposition leader Daniel Andrews.
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