Lachlan McCracken

Hi, I’m Lachie - a father of two young kids and your socialist candidate for Narre Warren North.

I’m not a career politician, so I’m nothing like those MPs that have spent decades lining their pockets and are best friends with billionaires who take all our natural resources and destroy sacred Australian land. There’s only one way to drive the leeches out of politics: give them a massive pay cut. All elected Victorian Socialists candidates will only take the pay equivalent to a skilled nurse.

I grew up working class, and have been working blue collar jobs since I was 14. Growing up with a single mother and three siblings I often missed out on school excursions, didn’t have textbooks, and some days I didn’t have any lunch.

As renters we moved a lot because the landlord refused to extend the lease. This resulted in couch surfing and rough sleeping while looking for an overpriced rental, only to get one more than an hour away from school. I’ll never forget when my Mum described renting as “the poor person tax”.

If elected to parliament I’ll stand up for workers, renters, and anyone like me who knows what it’s like to grow up doing it tough. In such a wealthy society nobody should have to miss out, or worry about just keeping a roof over your head or food on the table.

I'll fight for five things:

1. Homes for people, not portfolios. A five-year rent freeze. A massive expansion of public housing. Penalties that force investors sitting on empty properties to rent them out or sell.

2. Jobs you can count on. Automatic casual conversion rights. Stronger union access to workplaces.

3. Faster, fairer family visas. Cut the backlogs. Reunite families.

4. Housing for victim-survivors of domestic violence. Guaranteed housing for every woman and child fleeing violence.

5. No more stolen children. Implement the Bringing Them Home report. Fund First Nations-controlled family support. Keep kids with their families, communities, and culture.

Say ‘hi’ to me if you see me with my wife and kids at the 1001 steps, Lysterfield Lake, or at the Rocket Park.