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Political Profile: Incumbent Keneally batting for Heffron

Current Labor member for Heffron, Kristina Keneally, is in the last months of her first term and can list the electoral wounds she has had to lick writes Ben Falkenmire in the South Sydney Herald February 2007.

“The issues that people in my electorate care about are reliable public transport, a strong public education system, good health care, community safety and securing Sydney’s water supply. These issues are shaping this year’s election, whether it’s Heffron or any other seat.”

Rosebery resident and mother of two, Keneally’s awareness of State issues may allude to a preoccupation with Labor strategy, as opposed to the finer issues dominating her region. But first impressions are soon quelled.

On public transport, Keneally points to results she has achieved.

“Over the last four years I have lobbied the Government and put in place additional bus services and added express bus stops.”

Looking forward in her electorate, which is set to cushion a fresh round of residential development in suburbs like Alexandria and Zetland, Keneally is adamant about using the infrastructure that is already in existence. “The rail service is ready to service residents as they come online, but we need to lower the fare for train travel between suburbs and the city,” she explains. “The Minister for Transport now endorses a reduction provided rail ownership issues are resolved.”

Public housing is a sensitive talking point, but Keneally is quick to defend Labor’s strategy. “The Government has invested more than $20 million for public housing in the Heffron area since 2003,” she says. “We can assure residents that all (public housing) tenancies are secure and public housing numbers will not decrease.”

It becomes clear Keneally ardently believes the Redfern Waterloo Authority’s (RWA) plans for the area will help integrate public housing tenants “most in need” with the broader community. “The RWA is providing a holistic approach to revitalising the area with the people who already reside there,” the Heffron MP points out.

She says the sale of the Carlton United Brewery site by the Fosters Group is part of the strategy. “The affordable housing levy received by the RWA from the sale of the CUB site will be invested in affordable housing in the Redfern Waterloo area.”

Fighting off suggestions the RWA might be weak in community focus or lenient to beefing up the surplus side of a weak State balance sheet, Keneally says, “The RWA is not a capitalist enterprise. It receives an annual budget allocation from the State ($7.19 million for this year) and has retained seven of the eight State properties in the region for public use.”

Regarding the controversial State-approved expansion of Port Botany, Keneally is quick to point out she was opposed to the expansion and points to a bigger problem. “My overwhelming concern for the residents of Heffron is that the proposed Sydney Airport expansions are far more detrimental than Port Botany but I will continue to try to get the best possible deal for my electorate.” 

It is this understanding of the game of inter- and intra-party politics that will probably result in US-born Kristina Keneally retaining her seat, above the electorate’s conservative majority who will baulk at a Greens candidate and ask why there is no Liberal candidate in the running.

“The job of a good local MP is to be accessible on the ground, know what the local issues are in each suburb, and be working hard to resolve them,” says Keneally with savvy delivery. “Whether it’s taking up a fight against Council, State or Federal, it doesn’t matter.”

Source: South Sydney Herald February 2007