A community leader in the Adelaide Hills says he is honoured to have received an endorsement in his bid for politics by outgoing Member of Parliament Dan Cregan.
Matt Shultz has announced his intention to run as an Independent candidate for the electorate of Kavel in the next state election, following Cregan’s retirement announcement last week.
“I’m committed to being a strong independent voice for Kavel and continuing Dan’s legacy of grass-roots activism to deliver the projects we need for a rapidly growing Hills population,” Schultz said.
Cregan said Schultz is widely known and respected in the Adelaide Hills through his work with over 600 families and their children as President of the Mount Barker Football Club, and his work as a talent scout for TAFE and Flinders in the Hills.
“Matt has a passion for helping people. He’s worked closely with me to deliver some of the most important local infrastructure and services projects – including a new Regional Sports Hub and Aquatic Centre. He has encouraged hundreds of local students, including women, to give football a try for the first time. He is also often the link in our community between many school-leavers and higher education, especially kids who are the first in their family to go to TAFE or Uni,” Cregan said.
He also has the support of Federal Member Rebekha Sharkie MP who said he “genuinely cares about people and has welcomed many families in our community into the Hills sporting and community life”.
This morning he told Adam and Jennie on ARN that his priorities include a new public High School for the Adelaide Hills, the upgrade of the Woodside Intersection, the resurfacing of roads into Lobethal, and ultimately, restoring passenger rail services to the Adelaide Hills.
“We’ve seen the congestion on the Freeway, the frustration for drivers and I think the best solution to that is a mass transport system and one that can help take a little bit of pressure off the roads. It’s a large-scale infrastructure investment so its going to take a big commitment, but I know Rebekha Sharkie is keen to see that happening as well,” he told ARN’s Adam and Jennie.
He is also campaigning for more equipment and facilities for local fire and SES crews and more funding for paediatric services at Mount Barker Hospital as the population continues to grow.
“It’s great that we’re getting a new public hospital, but it’s really important that services keep pace [with the population]… My wife is a nurse, she works at the local hospital, she’s been there for 15 years and just the increase in volume… the demand grows and the services need to grow with it,” he said.
