Anneke Demanuele

Hi, I'm Anneke. I'm proud to be running as Victorian Socialists' lead candidate for the Western Metro upper house region in this November's state election.

I'm a renter in Maribyrnong and a unionist and I'm sick of seeing working-class communities be neglected by the people in power.

The western suburbs deserve more. There aren't enough schools, hospitals, buses or trains to service our suburbs. Wages aren't increasing as fast as the price of groceries, rents and mortgages.

While we are struggling, the wealthiest few are seeing their profits soar. Politicians award themselves bumper pay rises while our wages stagnate.

These same politicians don't craft policy that will improve our lives. Instead they create fear campaigns and scapegoats. They say they are going to be 'tough on crime', which means creating worse outcomes for vulnerable people.

The billions they spend on prisons and police could be invested into social services, counselling and mental health services, better public housing and fulfilling spaces for young people to grow and develop. This is what will create a safe and vibrant community, not slogans and hate.

Parties like One Nation are attempting to benefit from people's justified anger at a system that has left them to rot. We don't need racist division, we need a united working-class fightback - one that encompasses our community in all its diversity.

The fact that One Nation is backed by Australia's richest billionaire Gina Rinehart - who once complained that Australian workers aren't prepared to work for $2 a day, and who is viciously anti-union - tells you everything you need to know about the party's claim to being a voice for workers.

I will fight for a society where ordinary people are put before the profits of the rich and powerful. If you agree, join us!