Hathway to contest Corio for Socialist Alliance

FORMER City of Greater Geelong councillor Sarah Hathway will contest the federal seat of Corio as the Socialist Alliance candidate in the coming election.

Hathway said she was standing to challenge the major parties, arguing they had failed to prioritise the needs of working people.

“We need community activists like me to stand up to the two-party system where working people and their rights are continuously sold out,” she said.

She criticised the focus on weapons manufacturing, saying it was out of touch with the economic pressures facing the community.

“I am sick of hearing from politicians like Richard Marles who are committed to jobs in weapons manufacturing, while people in this electorate continue to struggle day to day due to lack of affordable housing and cost of living pressures,” Hathway said.

“The focus on weapons and war is out of touch and fails to meet the needs of people in this community.

“Both major parties are committing $368 billion to AUKUS and redundant nuclear-powered submarines as frontline services are under resourced.

“We need representatives who will fight for public services and relief from cost-of-living pressures, not weapons manufacturing.”

During her time on council, Hathway advocated for Palestine and supported community campaigns against the waste incinerator at Lara.

Hathway lives in Corio and works as a social worker in community mental health services.

She said her campaign would focus on “community need, not war and greed.”