By CAM LUCADOU-WELLS
THERE’S a slight bristle when Holt Liberal candidate James Mathias’ age is mentioned – 21 years.
Mr Mathias may still be on P-plates but he gives a steely rejoinder when asked if he can relate to Holt’s mortgage-belt voters ahead of the 2 July federal election.
“Don’t put it past me,” he said.
If he unseats long-standing MP Anthony Byrne – with a 9 per cent swing – he will be the youngest-ever federal parliamentarian.
He is younger than even the celebrated MP Wyatt Roy who occupied office at 22 years of age and is an inspiration to the Holt candidate.
His youthfulness is actually in keeping with Holt’s dominant demographic categories – 25 to 35-year-old parents, followed by school-aged children, Mr Mathias argues.
“I’ve been employed, I pay rent, I’m independent.
“I don’t subscribe to the view I can walk in everyone’s shoes, but I can imagine what they’re going through.”
Mr Mathias was undaunted by the immense challenge of toppling Holt’s member of 17 years, Mr Byrne. He claims the incumbent’s anti-Uber stance is antiquated and his parliamentary speeches infrequent.
“Complacency is killer.”
Mr Mathias hasn’t minded a stoush in the past. Before joining the Young Liberals he tried on a Young ALP meeting for size and got into a spirited argument over an issue he can’t now remember.
As a 17-year-old University High School student, his name was thrust into state Hansard by Labor MP Martin Foley during a parliamentary attack.
Mr Mathias, then an intern at Liberal MP David Southwick’s office, had sent an email accusing his local MP Mr Foley of backing a pro-Palestinian boycott of Israeli products.
The email was a private one, Mr Mathias said, but he was shocked to have been targeted by Mr Foley and to be hauled before his school principal.
He didn’t shy away from taking part in a Herald Sun report at the time.
“There was a lot of media attention. I had the opportunity to say nothing at all or to highlight who the man (Mr Foley) is.
“I felt it necessary for the electorate of Albert Park to know why their representative got stuck into a kid.”
As student council leader, Mr Mathias also had his run-ins with his high school’s hierarchy such as campaigning against mediocre canteen food and privatisation of the canteen.
Mr Mathias – who quit a business-law degree to work as Senator Mitch Fifield’s electorate officer – said he has enjoyed the thrill of hitting the hustings in recent weeks.
He said there’s a high number of undecided voters, gauging from the response of early-morning commuters before they cram into trains at Hallam railway station.
He nominates Holt’s 15.6 per cent youth unemployment and ice usage as key issues. The former can be tackled by the government’s planned PaTH internships for jobless youth, he argues.
High on his election wish-list is ridding Thompsons Road’s notorious bottlenecks in conjunction with the promised widening of sections of Monash Freeway.
So can a Thompsons Road announcement be expected any time soon?
“My lips are sealed,” he said.
