"Islanders need a voice"

By DANIEL CLARKE

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Basking in a comfortable win despite a swing away from Labor in the seat of Mawson in last month’s State Election, newly elected member Jenni Mitton said she was ready “to stand up and fight for islanders and show them that I'm going to understand their issues and be in their corner”.

 

Mitton polled 37.4% of first preference votes in Mawson, a swing of -13.8% from 2022 as she battled a strong challenge from One Nation candidate Tyler Green. 

 

“It ended up being a three-horse race rather than a two-horse race (Labor, One Nation and Liberal) so I think that's probably part of the drop in vote there but it was Labor's second best ever result on the island,” Mitton said. 

 

“I knew I had a tough challenge ahead of me with Leon retiring (former Member for Mawson Leon Bignell) but it was really rewarding getting out and chatting to my now 28,000 employers across the electorate.

 

“Putting yourself out there is a very confronting thing and it was really nice on pre-poll and voting day to have the support of my own community. It’s obviously a huge honour to have received their backing to represent them. 

 

“I've been really involved in the local community here on the Fleurieu Peninsula for a couple of decades and I’ve started to get to know the community on Kangaroo Island over the last few years.”

 

The mother of three and Maslin Beach resident, who previously worked as the office manager of her predecessor Leon Bignell, said she was “bitterly disappointed” with SeaLink’s failure to deliver the two new ferries by their promised June 1 deadline.

 

“I think it's really disappointing that Sealink hasn't communicated about whether they can meet their commencement date of June 1,” she said. “My understanding is that they can't but they haven't communicated this directly with me. Nor have they communicated a commencement date at all, which I think is really disappointing. 

 

“I've been quite passionately and excitedly talking about the new ferries starting. Let's get them in the water, let's give the opportunity to these extra sailings and hopefully that's a real positive for everybody on Kangaroo Island. So I'm really disappointed and I don’t have any other information. I have been in communication with the Minister (Joe Szakacs), the Minister's office and with the Department (of Infrastructure and Transport).

 

“As soon as there is more information I’ll certainly be sharing it. And I would encourage any Islanders who've got queries or concerns about any sort of immediate travel issues that they have to certainly reach out and get in touch with my office. I'm sure for whatever reason if there are delays that they (SeaLink) would also be bitterly disappointed. 

 

“But if there is a void of information then that just opens up for people to be feeling more concerned. And I think some reassurance for the community, for businesses, is really important at this time.”

 

Mitton said criticisms that the former member Leon Bignell wasn’t being seen or working hard enough for islanders in his final years in the job were unfounded. 

 

“Leon was a really strong local member and he was well respected on the island,” she said. “The 2022 election result was evidence of that, for the incredible work that he did during and after the fires. He was present on the island because I accompanied him many times. The electorate office here and in Kingscote respond to every single person who has reached out to us.

 

“He's not the local member anymore and I've been elected and I intend to continue on in dealing with every person who contacts us whether they're from the west end or Penneshaw or Parndana - that's what we're here for.

 

“One of the first things I did after being elected was ask the Premier and the Cabinet to get back over to Kangaroo Island. I'm just waiting on some dates for that to be shored up.

 

“If I can be successful in getting the Premier and the Cabinet over and having some chats with different community groups and associations I think that's really important. I want those voices around the table. That's something that I'm going to keep following up and chipping away and pestering until that's locked in the diary.”

 

She said discussions with the KI community and various associations during the election campaign had clearly highlighted that "islanders need a voice”.

 

“There is a clear need for them to be involved and be part of the decisions and planning for various things before they happen so that they have a voice at the table and some advocacy a bit earlier on in the process. I'm certainly looking forward to that being a priority for me.”

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​​​​Mitton said she acknowledged Kangaroo Island’s struggle to attract and retain health and teaching staff due to housing supply shortages.

 

“There were lots of policy announcements to get housing moving across the state and obviously for Kangaroo Island I’ll be advocating for any of these policies and asking how do they translate? What does that look like for Kangaroo Island? 

 

“That increase in short term rental accommodation, I’m seeing the popularity of that right across the electorate and that has put a strain on the availability of longer term rentals. It's a catch 22, I guess. We live in this beautiful coastal environment and the increase in Airbnb rentals is not isolated to Kangaroo Island.

 

“But the impact that that has on the local community for essential workers is really important. So definitely that’s something I'm keen to have some conversations about and provide some advocacy for.”

 

She cited the $17.5 million upgrade of the Kangaroo Island Health Service that commenced in Kingscote earlier this year that would provide new workforce accommodation for visiting doctors, nurses and emergency services personnel. 

 

“There are six new two-storey units that are about to get underway which will be positive. These things take time and the wheels have turned slowly.”

 

Mitton said she would visit KI “as much as I can” and that her Kingscote electorate office on Dauncey Street was open three days a week while her Aldinga office was available by phone or email every weekday.  

 

“What I've seen work really effectively over the past three years when I was in Leon’s office is quarterly island catch ups that have been in place with AGKI, the tourism, business and health associations. I’m looking forward to getting over to the local footy, meeting as many people as I can as well as community groups and local businesses.”