Emma Pritchard

After polling strongly in the 2019 Federal Election with more than 43000 votes, the Australian Labor Party’s candidate for the seat of Page Patrick Deegan has spoken of his confidence in gaining additional support and momentum ahead of the 2022 Federal Election.

A seasoned campaigner with more than 20 years’ experience working in the community services sector, an extensive knowledge of administrative and financial management, and a dedicated passion to help those around him, Mr Deegan acknowledged there have been many changes including droughts, devastating bushfires, a global pandemic and most recently, unprecedented flooding since the previous Federal Election, and he is determined to give the people of Page a strong voice in Canberra as a representative who can be trusted and relied upon to fight for local communities across the region. 

For the past eight years, Mr Deegan said the electorate of Page has been overlooked and neglected by the Nationals and Liberal Party of Australia, identifying various funding cuts to educational facilities including schools and TAFE, and missed employment opportunities and industries as key issues and polices to be addressed should he be elected.

“I am genuinely proud to be the Labor candidate for Page, and there is a lot of fast action which needs to be taken,” he explained.

“We still have people without permanent accommodation following the 2019 Black Summer bushfires and we need to ensure they are looked after.

“The people impacted by the current disasters, specifically the flooding, we need practical solutions to help them, to make insurance affordable for them, to make sure impacted businesses can survive and remain in the area, and we need to secure local employment and increase wage growth.

“We also need to address the housing crisis and make living more affordable.

“Our aged care system is under immense pressure, and we need to make it feasible for aged care providers and workers, and ensure they are paid a liveable wage.

“The Nationals have been taking Page for granted, and the people who call this electorate home need and deserve strong leadership, and that is what I am committed to.”

Mr Deegan said it is important to look ahead and rebuild for the future, and a Labor Government will deliver “a better future for all Australians.”

“My family has lived in the electorate of Page for generations, and I have long term connections to our local communities, and I understand them inside and out,” he said.

“I am passionate, and I genuinely care about the people I would be representing.”