This is a human interest story about a Parra fan.....against the rich Labour blowin! Lol
Real Eel’ Maria Kovacic hits back at Labor’s claims she’s not a Westie
Parramatta Liberal Maria Kovacic says those claiming she’s not from the West are out-of-towners themselves - like blow-in Labor candidate Andrew Charlton.
The Coalition’s hand-picked candidate for Parramatta has hit back at a Labor smear campaign suggesting she is not a local, saying “the only people who are suggesting I am not from Western Sydney are themselves not from Western Sydney”.
Maria Kovacic, the 52 year old businesswoman turned politician said that it was ridiculous that people who were not from the area were trying to decide whether she was a legitimate local.
“You know, I think people in Western Sydney in particular are tired of people that aren’t from Western Sydney telling them what they should do, how they should do it, and why they should do,” she said.
Ms Kovacic has faced criticism from Labor figures for living a scant 1800m outside the Parramatta electorate ever since questions began to be raised about her opponent, Bellevue Hill entrepreneur Andrew Charlton, and his inability to name three eateries in the restaurant-packed district.
However Ms Kovacic points to the fact that she has lived most of her adult life in western Sydney and operated a local business – as Prime Minister Scott Morrison famously quipped – “the real eel is the real deel"
As proof of her devotion to the area, she points to a letter she wrote “when I was about 14 or 15” to Rugby League Week and was a diehard Parramatta fan, despite living in the Canberra area at the time.
Clipped and filed in the family archives, the letter defended the Eels from who said that “Parramatta are sure to be write-offs in the ’85 season”.
Ms Kovacic, who lives with her husband, children and stepchildren in what she calls “a beautiful blended family” that is “as close to the Brady Bunch as you can get without singing songs,” said that her experience growing up the daughter of immigrants from the former Yugoslavia and having to learn English at school made her more aware than ever of the need to help others in the community.
Along with her friend, businesswoman and speaker Amanda Rose, Ms Kovacic set up Western Sydney Women.
“Effectively, we advocate, we’ve set up a structure, we have members, and we create opportunities and advocate for women and girls in Western Sydney,” she said.
Ms Kovacic said that on the streets she hears people mostly concerned about cost of living, infrastructure, and their desire for a hopeful economic future.
Replies
Now Carlo, this lady set up Western Sydney Women.....you may not vote in the area but you have the influence to get behind her and argue how good this woman would be representing the Parramatta Eels......well known conservative supporter "Tad" would be another one outside of the area but no doubt lending his firm support to a fellow 'conservative" and underdog!
Needless to say that our very strong right wing fascist group of haters will also be behind her......every vote counts!
I read it poppa
not my electorate not my concern
Any party who lobs in a hand picked candidate from outside the area gets what they deserve, regardless of which political party. Fancy the Labor party parachuting Andrew Charlton in from the Eastern Suburbs where he lives in a $20 million mansion in Vaucluse. The party of the working class indeed.
The Libs tried a similar stunt in the Willoughby State by-election. It wasn't quite as bad as the candidate had grown up in Willoughby, but even he got a 9% swing against him. Voters hate this type of stuff.
Exactly. It's really the whole point of having a representative. Someone who knows your town and the issues because they've lived it.
Isn't the party of the working class only interested in distributing money from the working class between those very working class people, i.e. not their own money?
I only say this due to the irony of the point you have made about him living in a $20mil mansion, while trying to represent working class people...
Yes, put Liberals last!
Labor hasnt been the working class party for a long time.... more like the party of union "officials" and virtue signalling champagne socialists. An eclectic mix.
will be interesting to see how the professional blow-in "mean girl" Kristina Keneally who magically rediscovered her catholicism at the start of the campaign, fares against local independent Dai Le.
I can only imagine Keneally being in charge of our borders if Labor win this election, mother of god.
God bless her heart Poppa !!! I hope it does not take Maria a minimum of 36 years to win a seat in Parliament like it has for Parra to win again since she was last a supporter. I bet she forgot about the Eels since the 1986 grand final before this opportunity arose. Still even once a keen Parra supporter makes me an admirer of her ahead of 2 prime ministers Howard ( St George ) and Morrison ( Cronulla ) . I hope one day she becomes PM - LOL .
The Parramatta Stadium, love the sound of that! Ha
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