MP attacked over leaked staff email

Kim Waters
A LEAKED office email has revealed Bellarine MP Lisa Neville as “out of touch” with her electorate, according to a political opponent.
Liberal candidate for Bellarine Kurt Reiter said the email demonstrated Ms Neville regularly relied on staff to tell her of constituents she could talk about in parliament.
The email said: “Seriously, this is not easy and is often thrown to (name deleted) at the last minute – if you have any ideas about constituents about whom Lisa can speak in parliament, could you let her know, please”.
Mr Reiter said the email revealed the “inner workings” of Ms Neville’s office.
She was an MP “out of touch with her community”, he said.
“Ms Neville was elected to represent the people of Bellarine and it is clear she spends little time in her community talking to residents, otherwise she would not have to rely on her staff to organise her Member Statement for Parliament.
“If Ms Neville actually took the time to talk to residents she would know there are thousands of issues that concern residents in Bellarine, including a lack of funds to maintain roads, dissatisfaction with foreshore management and a need to get stage one of (Portarlington’s) safe harbour project moving, to list just a few.
“People of the Bellarine want regular, unfettered access to their State Government representative, to be able to raise any issue and to ask any question free from bureaucratic interference and process.”
But Ms Neville, the state’s Community Services and Mental Health Minister, said she took her role as Member for Bellarine “very seriously”.
“I speak regularly in parliament to acknowledge the great work of people who live on the Bellarine and I will continue to do that instead of engaging in political mudslinging like the opposition,” Ms Neville said.
Portarlington Community Association president John Turner backed Ms Neville’s representation of Bellarine.
“I’m sure every politician could be accused of not doing enough for their community,” Mr Turner said.
“I haven’t had any difficulties talking to Lisa and I’ve always found her to be approachable and to listen.
“We don’t have any evidence to say she is out of touch with the community.”