Be careful who you vote for…

Be careful who you vote for… A dynamic and lively forum was held on October 30 to “Meet The Candidates” with sitting Labor Party member Martin Foley, Liberal candidate Andrew Bond and Ogy Simic of the Greens. We were fortunate and grateful to have both Stephen Mayne (the Mayne Report) as the moderator and of course to partner with the Southbank Residents Association. We thank the candidates and all forum participants and organisers for their support. The Facebook live video of the event can be found on our Facebook and Twitter pages. In precis - the focus on Montague was: Labor – to continue with the current Fishermans Bend plan, that includes lower heights and less density and to ensure the community continues to be involved and that the governance of the whole of Fishermans Bend is transparent and clear. Liberals – to ensure that there is public transport infrastructure in place, or a plan for that prior to any final plan being decided. They would remove the current amendment that set lower heights and density, implying that higher heights and density would be restored. The Greens – In principle, agree with the current Fishermans Bend plan but have concerns over lack of public transport, open space and sustainability. It was not clear what their alternatives were but in the case of a hung Parliament they saw themselves having a key role on the cross benches. The candidates graciously and with thoughtfulness responded to some challenging and direct questioning from the audience, the issues that resonated most keenly for Montague were: Ensuring that no more money is spent on creating any further Fishermans Bend Framework Planning. The current Labor plan is the one that will be applied. Short stays – There was concern over the number of apartments being sold to investors for short stays, either through on line platforms or physical agencies. Public Transport - it was acknowledged that the 109 tram is the second busiest tram route in the whole of Melbourne and that this and the 96 tram route need more tram stock quickly. The State Election is only weeks away so please use your vote very carefully. If you live and work here, think about who will provide what we need to live and work well, during the exponential growth of our precinct? Who will engage with us and support our voice? Please get in touch via Facebook (@MontaguePrecinct), Twitter (@MontComAlliance) or email. Meet a Montaguan Who are you? I’m Joe Calleja. I’ve been running South City Automotive Repairs on Gladstone Street for almost 10 years now. I work with most cars including, Mercedes, BMW, Audi, VW, Holden, Opel etc. etc. And now I enjoy including hybrid petrol and electric cars as well as full electric cars. What first brought you to work in Montague precinct? I first came to work here in 2000, when Holden Preston opened their city dealership in the area. Prior to 2000 I had been working as a specialist mechanic and auto-electric and diagnostic technician with Holden at another location. A few years into the role I was approached to become the foreman of the then Holden workshops in Montague. Through my time at Holden I developed a manufacturer level of expertise with the high-performance HSV models, as well as standard passenger cars. When Holden left the area, I liked it so much, I decided to stay on in the precinct and started my own business. What are the most interesting things about working in Montague? Everything really. Its closeness to Bay St, South Melbourne Market, and the city. My clients are Melbourne-wide, as well as from South Melbourne, Docklands, Southbank, Albert Park, etc. It is great being just a few stops from the CBD, as it is easy for my clients to drop their cars off in the morning, catch the tram, then pick up their cars before heading home. Another important thing is that everyone in the area seems to work together as a community. There is a great network of auto industry facilities here and we really help each other out. What are the challenges of working in Montague precinct? Working long hours, the type of work and the travelling. It means I miss family time, especially with my two boys. There are other challenges to do with the growth of the area. Parking is proving to be a problem, although I am lucky that my workshop means that I have no problem with managing vehicles. Trisha Avery - Convener