Dear Editor,
As we near the 2 months point since the appalling comments about public housing tenants left the mouth of Liberal MP Wendy Lovell, I am absolutely gobsmacked that there has been no action taken by the Liberal Leader for her divisive attack.
Make no mistake – the comments made were not clumsy or a slip of the tongue.
They were made to shine a light on people living in public housing and remind them where she thinks they belong.
They were made to grind into the dust the experiences, hopes and aspirations of low-income people and their families.
These comments hit a raw nerve for me.
Like many, I grew up in public housing and I am proud to stand up and call out these bigoted comments.
I have written to the Opposition Leader Matthew Guy, to ask what action, if any, will be taken on this matter.
Being Australian means giving people a fair go.
It’s not about wielding privilege over those without – these are not the values we want or deserve in Australia, nor do they belong in our Parliament.
It’s about lifting people up, giving them opportunities, fairness and compassion.
And it’s about standing up for what is right – which is why I will continue to keep this conversation going until adequate action is taken.
Mark Gepp MP
Member for Northern Victoria
