Labor names Ripon candidate

THE Labor Party has unveiled its candidate for State seat of Ripon at November’s election.

Running for the first time, former adviser to Preimer Daniel Andrews, Martha Haylett, will contest for the seat currently held by Liberial cabinet minister Louise Staley.

Ms Haylett grew up in Central Victoria and studied international relations at RMIT University in Melbourne, while volunterring for homelessness and disability organisations. She currently lives in Yandoit with her partner.

In 2018, Ms Staley won the marginal seat of Ripon by just 15 votes after a two week count.

Despite this, the ALP currently holds a large lead in Victoria on 58.5 per cent of state voting intention, compared to the Liberal and National party coalition on 41.5 per cent on a two-party preferred basis, according to the latest Roy Morgan finding.

In November last year, the the bounries of Ripon were redrawn to include the Ballarat rural suburbs of Invermay, Nerrina, Mount Rowan, and towns of Haddon, Smythesdale, Scarsdale and Linton, while dropping Stawell, Donald and Charlton.

A stamen on Ms Haylett’s candaciy said her main values include fairness, equality, and building strong regional and rural communities.

She has worked as the manager of policy and communications for a public housing body, a principal adviser for the State Government’s affordable homes project and has been involved in the Ballarat Line Upgrade and Regional Rail Revival infrastructure projects.