A Murray Bridge shop assistant will square off against Liberal MP Adrian Pederick in Hammond at the upcoming state election.

Belinda Owens will be Labor’s candidate as the party looks to win government, and win the Murraylands electorate, later this month.

She hoped her campaign would bring into focus issues including health and mental health services, affordable housing and public transport.

“This community is my lifelong home, and I care about every single person who’s part of it,” she said.

“I speak to many people each day at work (at Big W) – my regular customers, as well as new faces – and hearing from them about their perspectives on life is one of the best things about my job.

“I have a great passion for our part of the world, and I am highly driven to make South Australian lives better.

“It would be a tremendous privilege to use my passion and my determination to advocate for the Hammond electorate as your representative in the South Australian Parliament.”

Labor leader Peter Malinauskas described Ms Owens as someone who understood regional and rural communities and what they needed to thrive.

Ms Owens grew up at Tailem Bend, and she and her partner now live in Murray Bridge, where they raised their four children.

She has spent the past decade at Big W, serving customers or staffing the lay-by counter.

Meet the candidates for Hammond

Murray Bridge News will host a public forum with the candidates for Hammond at the Bridgeport Hotel on the evening of Wednesday, March 16.

• Book your free ticket: www.eventbrite.com.au.

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