Casey Candidates Share Their Vision: Key Takeaways from the Election Forum
Four candidates vying for the federal seat of Casey—Merran Blair (Greens), Aaron Violi (Liberal Party), Naomi Oakley (Australian Labor Party), and Claire Ferris-Miles (Independent)—recently participated in a community forum where they outlined their key policies and addressed pressing local issues. The discussion covered a range of topics, including cost of living, gendered violence, childcare, telecommunications, and climate change. Full recording of the event can be watched below.
Meet the candidates
Merran Blair, Greens candidate for Casey Electorate.
Dr Merran Blair (Greens): Prioritising Fairness and Climate Action
Merran Blair emphasised the need for stricter regulations to prevent supermarket price gouging and proposed a "mortgage keeper" product to cap interest rates for owner-occupiers. She advocated for free, publicly funded childcare to ensure accessibility for all families and called for the phasing out of coal and gas projects while increasing support for renewable energy. Additionally, Blair highlighted the importance of strengthening protections against gendered violence by increasing emergency housing options and expanding telecommunication networks to ensure equitable internet access for all communities.
Blair criticised both major parties for accepting corporate donations and pledged to push for greater taxation of billionaires and large corporations to fund essential public services.
Website: https://greens.org.au/vic/person/merran-blair
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Merran is an Accredited Practising Dietitian and university lecturer who is committed to contributing to an Australian political system that places the health and wellbeing of people and the environment above the needs of corporations and the wealthy. Merran was born and raised in Emerald, in the Dandenong Ranges, and as such, deeply understands the needs and challenges of the people living in Casey. In her early twenties she left Victoria to travel and has lived and worked in four states of Australia, providing her with additional understanding of the broader needs of Australians living in both metropolitan and regional areas.
Merran’s early working life was spent in insecure employment, mostly in hospitality and customer service roles. She returned to Melbourne to pursue further study options and, with the support of her family, has spent eight of the last 10 years completing an undergraduate degree and a PhD. Her doctoral research investigated the education and employability of health professionals. She has now settled into full time employment as a university lecturer, researcher, and dietitian. Merran is passionate about protecting the natural environment, as she loves spending time in nature, in particular, bushwalking.
Aaron Violi, sitting Liberal Party MP for Casey Electorate
Aaron Violi (Liberal Party): Focus on Economic Growth and Community Representation
Sitting MP Aaron Violi positioned himself as a local representative committed to community-driven solutions. His key policies included:
Aaron Violi emphasised the need for stronger penalties against supermarket price gouging, including potential corporate breakups to ensure fair competition. He was supportive of nuclear energy as a reliable, zero-emissions energy source, in addition to renewables. Violi also prioritised improving childcare infrastructure by increasing supply to address shortages.
To enhance community resilience, he proposed strengthening emergency preparedness measures such as expanding community battery storage and disaster response funding. Additionally, he highlighted the importance of improving telecommunications infrastructure through satellite technology and black spot funding. On mental health, Violi committed to reinstating 20 Medicare-subsidised sessions to provide better access to essential mental health services.
Violi emphasised his proven track record of securing local funding and engaging directly with the community, highlighting his efforts in expanding telecommunications and emergency preparedness.
Website: https://www.aaronvioli.com.au/
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Aaron Violi was chosen by our community to be their local representative, becoming the Federal Member for Casey in the 2022 Federal Election.
He is a proud third generation resident of Casey, having grown up in our community, attending Yarra Glen Primary School and Mount Lilydale Mercy College. Aaron and his wife are now raising their two children in Lilydale.
Aaron has long maintained a close connection and deep engagement to our community, starting from a young age through his time playing at and serving on the committees of many local sporting clubs. Aaron was instrumental in the establishment of the Lilydale Township Action Group, being the Founding Chair and then Vice Chair before being elected to serve our community.
As our community’s MP, Aaron is proud to be deeply engaged with the communities of Casey, having spent the past almost three years getting out and hearing what matters in every corner of our community.
In Federal Parliament, Aaron is a strong advocate for our community. He serves on the Agriculture, Workforce Australia and Public Accounts Committees and also co-chairs several Parliamentary Friendship groups, such as the Parliamentary Friends of Youth Mental Health and Parliamentary Friends of Tech and Innovation.
With deep roots in our community, Aaron is honoured to represent our community and our home in Federal Parliament.
Naomi Oakley, Australian Labor Party candidate for the Casey Electorate
Naomi Oakley (Australian Labor Party): Strengthening Essential Services
Naomi Oakley, a former police officer and small business owner, focused on Labor’s economic management and social policies. Her priorities included:
Naomi Oakley highlighted Labor’s economic success in reducing inflation while maintaining budget surpluses and ensuring stable wage growth. She emphasised the government's significant investments in healthcare, including the expansion of Medicare subsidies and an increase in bulk billing services to improve accessibility.
Oakley also underscored Labor’s commitment to supporting victims of gendered violence, with $100 million allocated for crisis accommodation. She stressed the importance of childcare accessibility, pointing to major improvements such as increased subsidies and the removal of the activity test. Additionally, she advocated for Labor’s investments in renewable energy and grid stability, including a $20 billion plan to modernize and upgrade Australia’s energy infrastructure.
Oakley positioned herself as a grassroots candidate with lived experience, committed to advocating for working families and improving essential services.
Website: https://www.facebook.com/Labor4Casey
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I grew up locally and went to Dixons creek and Yarra Glen primary and then to Mt Lilydale Mercy College .
Growing up in the Valley, I witnessed floods, worked on Ash Wednesday , relocated family on Black Saturday and witnessed shocking tragedy. My family was interested in politics, and my dad was involved in the local council. It was through family I became interested in politics and came to understand how important the right decisions are to the lives of people.
I finished school in Year 11 thinking about further studies in Agriculture. But after a suggestion from my brother about joining the police force, that is exactly what I did. I joined Victoria Police in 1989 and spent the next 13 years serving the people of Victoria keeping the community safe.
Now, I am a Police veteran, a volunteer, and a front line safety worker within hospitals ( includes mental health). I own and operate my own business employing 15 staff.
I have three children two girls and one boy and am a sole parent.
I have decided to stand for the federal seat of Casey because I believe my experience in the community equips me best to understand and deal with the complex issues that impact Casey.
If elected, my job will be to give voice to the community. To the vulnerable, to those people who struggle to be heard.
Beyond the local issues, we are faced with enormous global challenges. Climate change requires us to think big and bold to find the solutions necessary to save our planet from the ravages of extreme weather events.
I’m a community focused person from our local area.- raised and worked in Casey.
I understand our community, from the very urban areas to the country towns Casey is a diverse electorate. Our community deserves to feel safe and have much needed public amenities.
My priority will be to improve access to Hospitals, health care, improved educational resources, improved access to technology for bringing down power costs and access to better quality mobile signals and WiFi.
My business currently provides safety and support solutions for Victims of family violence, mental health and Front line workers.
I am a former police officer, I own and operate my own company, and I went to school and grew up in this community.
I know and have lived the same challenges in life you have.
I have the experience and the will it takes to represent the people of Casey well.
Claire Ferris-Miles, Independent candidate for the Casey Electorate
Claire Ferris-Miles (Independent): A Community-Led Approach
Claire Ferris-Miles framed her candidacy as an opportunity for community-driven leadership, emphasising that Casey voters are looking for an alternative to the major parties. Her key policies included:
Claire Ferris-Miles focused on challenging corporate influence in politics by advocating for greater transparency in political funding. She emphasised the urgent need for emergency housing and crisis accommodation, particularly for victims of family violence, and pushed for expanding publicly funded childcare options to address Casey’s severe childcare shortages. Ferris-Miles also highlighted the importance of enhancing climate resilience through investments in community-led renewable energy projects. Additionally, she stressed the need to improve emergency preparedness and infrastructure resilience in disaster-prone areas while advocating for better telecommunications access, especially in remote communities that frequently face connectivity issues during emergencies.
Ferris-Miles presented herself as an independent voice not bound by party politics, focusing on delivering practical solutions for Casey residents.
Website: https://www.claireferresmiles.com/
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I'm running as the Community Independent candidate for Casey because we deserve a representative who is free to speak up on the issues our community wants action on:
• Reducing cost-of-living price increases
• More housing, health care, childcare and aged care, fixing our roads
• Action on climate change and better prepared for storms, floods and fires with more support for our emergency services
• Integrity in government, truth in political advertising.
I will always put the community first, not just toe the party line. The two-party system in Australia is broken. People want a representative that is 100% working to represent them, not major corporations, donors or lobbyists. I've lived in Upwey for 27 years with my husband and five kids.
I'm a small business owner and engineer who's run large organisations and held senior roles in business and government, including as head of Sustainability Victoria.
Community volunteering has been a regular drumbeat of my life for over 20 years, including playing a leading role in the campaign to save Sherbrooke Children’s Centre.
Key Takeaways
All candidates acknowledged cost of living as the most pressing issue, with different approaches to tackling inflation and corporate price gouging.
Telecommunications and disaster resilience were widely agreed upon as critical issues, with varied solutions proposed, including satellite technology and infrastructure upgrades.
Nuclear energy emerged as a divisive topic, with Blair and Ferris-Miles opposing nuclear energy, while Violi supported it as part of the transition to net zero.
Childcare accessibility and affordability were universally recognised as significant concerns, with different views on public versus private sector involvement.
As the election approaches, Casey voters will need to decide which candidate best represents their concerns and vision for the future. With the seat being highly marginal, every vote will count in shaping Casey’s next representative.
Forum Recording
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Kathy Petkoff is a Senior Teaching Fellow at Monash University with over 20 years of experience as a test engineer and more than a decade in tertiary engineering education. She has worked with the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) and the Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO) on systems and test engineering research, wind tunnel testing, and environmental testing. From 2021 to 2024, she led the redesign of the Engineering Final Year Projects (FYPs) at Monash and is currently deep-diving into the ethical use of Generative AI in Engineering Education.
A proud resident of the Dandenong Ranges for over a decade, Kathy is deeply invested in the area's future. As a mum to two teenagers attending local secondary colleges, she understands the importance of strong educational and community support systems. She is an active volunteer in local sporting clubs and community initiatives.
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