Wilson resident and Labor candidate for Swan Tammy Solonec says she left the Greens because she wanted to be in a party ‘capable of governing’.
Ms Solonec was chosen as the Swan candidate in February but she ran in the second spot of the Greens south metropolitan ticket for the legislative council in the 2013 state election.
Her move to Labor was sparked by her need to have an impact on policies.
“As I’ve grown older and wiser it’s become clear to me that there is no point in standing on the sidelines and pointing at the problem,” she said.
“It’s better to be part of the solutions and to do that I need to be in a party capable of governing.
“Labor is a party of government and I know that as a Labor member I can have an impact on policies that have a real chance of being enacted.
“I am running for Parliament so that I can achieve real outcomes.”
Ms Solonec, who has worked for Amnesty International, the National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples and Aboriginal Legal Service of WA, said her upbringing led to her interest in politics.
“I am a proudly multicultural woman and embrace my Aboriginality, in particular as a Nigena woman from Derby. I grew up in a working class family in regional and remote WA,” she said.
“We always watched the news and always discussed political issues so I’ve been interested since I was very young.
“I have raised my two children, 10 years as a sole parent, and maintained a demanding career, so I know the value of hard work and how important a Labor Government is for our community.”
She would focus on jobs, education and health if elected.
“Many are struggling to cope with mortgage stress, family pressures and rising living costs and their mental health is deteriorating,” she said.
“This is where I want to bring change, I want to see better social safety nets, innovation and job creation where everyone is given a fair go.
“With that I want to ensure a better health system to help engage and support those now suffering in silence.”
She was also concerned the Canning estuary had consistently been rated in poor condition.
“I would like to see a long-term strategy to address nutrient build-up from agricultural fertilisers to improve the health of the waterways,” she said.
