Ron Guy has been pre-selected by the Socialist Alliance to run for the seat of Melton in the Victorian state election in November.
Guy was born in Bacchus Marsh where he lives with his partner and son. He has been an Australia Workers Union (AWU) delegate for more than 15 years.
Guy was one of the main instigators of setting up the Arts co-operative Maribyrnong River Edge Artists Movement, believed to be one of the longest running arts co-operatives in Australia.
Guy has visited Western Sahara refugee camps representing the AWU and the Australian Council of Trade Unions.
He has helped organise art exhibitions from the camps and organised shipping containers to take much needed sugar, books and art supplies to the refugee camps.
Passionate about his local area, Guy outlines the main issues on which he’ll be campaigning.
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It’s time for socialists to make a push into Melbourne’s outer north-west.
We are pretty much living in a one-party state out here, with the ALP dominating federal, state and local politics.
Socialists need to move the message among local people about jobs, public transport and infrastructure, local democracy, living standards and the environment.
I’m calling on all outer-suburban activists to take up the challenge of building a socialist alternative to lead our local people. The days we could look to the ALP are long, long gone. It’s time for outer-suburban people to take back our political rights and get organised.
One of Australia’s most famous communists and author of Power Without glory, Frank Hardy, comes from Bacchus Marsh, so the area has a left tradition. It’s time to reinvigorate the proud history of socialists in Melbourne’s outer north-west.
I’m running for parliament to take a stand for local families, to save what’s rightfully ours and build up the future for the next generation to enjoy.
Local people are passionate about saving the Avenue of Honour and opposing the construction of the Bacchus Marsh Avenue roundabout and freeway link. The money would be better spent on duplicating and electrifying our local rail line. The diesel V/Line train service is outdated.
Labor has given us second best for too long. We’re a growth area way out of town, full of young families that can’t afford to run two cars. Financial pressures are sending people broke and destroying families.
Let’s get things right: look after the planet and give our families a break.
Give us a suburban train service, make it fast and make it free. Build a new station at Ferris Road and let Melton people catch the train to work.
With more than 6.5% of the vote at the last state election, Family First outpolled the Greens in this working-class electorate. But I’m hopeful we can get the issues out to voters with pressing economic, family and community concerns.
The Socialist Alliance stands for putting public transport and utilities back into public hands, boosting public health and education, childcare services and green jobs, stopping the scandalously expensive desalination plant and getting cash-strapped families back on their feet.
We have the strongest policy on cutting greenhouse gas emissions, on saving the environment for future generations. The Socialist Alliance is the party of choice for voters who want to put their families and communities first.
Local voters have stuck with Labor for too long.
But now they are starting to wonder, “Where’s the community consultation? Where’s the heated swimming pool that our young people need to stay fit and healthy? And what about a cultural arts centre for Melton, Bacchus Marsh and Ballan?”
Socialists are all about putting people’s needs ahead of private profit.
We need a safe environment to guarantee our children’s future and we need to keep our bills down.