Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I closely read not just the local papers but also everything that Mr Dreyfus produces. He has produced a lot of material in the electorate of Isaacs—a lot of personally addressed mail. It is a very slick, professional, well-financed, union backed campaign. I must admit to being surprised not to read anywhere in Mr Dreyfus’s material that he does not live in the electorate. Nowhere does he mention that he lives 20 kilometres away in the suburb of Malvern. Nowhere in his material to the electorate does he mention that he has no intention to move, and nowhere in his direct mail to his prospective electors does he mention that he has no intention of moving.

But what I have read, in his personally addressed letter to residents of May 2007, is that Mr Dreyfus is keen to represent ‘you and other local residents’. He uses the word ‘local’ to try and convey that he is local. In the same letter he also invites the same local residents to fill in a survey so he can ‘be a strong voice for our community’. He refers to ‘our community’ as though he is part of it. In another letter, back in March of this year, Mr Dreyfus informed residents that he was standing as ‘your local Labor candidate’. He uses the word ‘local’ again as though he lives just around the corner.

You could not say he fibs. You could not say he lies. But he does seek to leave the impression that he is local. But to be local means you live in the area. We know he does not. We know he lives in Malvern. Even being charitable, to claim to be local means you must at least work in the area, even if you do not live there. But we know Mr Dreyfus does not work in Isaacs. He has chambers in the city. The location of Mr Dreyfus’s chambers—