Josephine Cox, Socialist Alliance candidate for Hotham

Josephine Cox is a 28-year-old post-graduate student in history at La Trobe University, who has been involved in refugee and anti-war campaigns. In 2001 she contested the Aston by-election.

Cox's two major concerns are the Free Trade Agreement with the US and the building of the Scoresby Freeway in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne. Simon Crean, the Labor member for Hotham, recently voted with the Coalition in favour of the FTA, helping its passage through parliament. According to Cox, the FTA will impact on the most disadvantaged sections of society first. She believes that people deserve a real choice — not an "opposition" member who votes with the government.

According to Cox, the construction of the $1 billion-plus Scoresby Freeway will put further pressure on the environment. "Australia is the worst greenhouse gas polluter per capita in the world. Building more freeways will make the problem worse. Public transport is abysmal in the eastern suburbs — Buses often stop running at 6pm and don't run at all on Saturday afternoon and Sunday. It's poor and disabled people who are most affected by this. The $1 billion should be spent on improving public transport."

From Green Left Weekly, July 21, 2004.

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From GLW issue 590