LONG-TIME Midland resident Sarah Howlett is running as an independent candidate for the seat of Midland and says it’s time Midland’s traffic got the state government attention it deserved.

Ms Howlett has lived in Midland for 30 years and is serving her fourth year in the city as a councillor for the Midland Guildford ward.

As a professional, Ms Howlett has worked, owned businesses and volunteered thousands of hours to community service in Swan, including organising local events.

She has spent 25 years managing key hospitality venues in the Swan Valley and has recently moved into the glass industry.

Ms Howlett said she strongly believes the Midland electorate deserves better and has been let down by successive state governments.

“I am running because the seat of Midland is considered a safe Labor seat and it has been for the last 29 years under the same elected member,” she said.

“A safe seat attracts no attention, and it gets nothing.

“You need to be a swing seat or a marginal seat to get anything done.

“Our elected member has been Speaker of the House, a very important job 100 per cent but it’s a political party job.

“It’s not representative for the electorate.

“Prior to that, our elected member was the Minister of Police, another hugely important role.

“Again, where does that leave time for her to look after her electorate affairs and the people and their concerns?

“So my frustrations are born out of 29 to 30 years of seeing Midland stagnate.

“A lot of that I’ve come to learn is through decisions made by state government, made for us, not necessarily with us.”

Ms Howlett said she had been doorknocking since June to understand what residents’ concerns were and traffic became an issue repeated again and again.

She said the biggest problems were the road network infrastructure, and decisions around traffic infrastructure, which was causing business in Midland to die as people began shopping elsewhere.

“Even Guildford’s choosing to shop elsewhere,” Ms Howlett said.

“People won’t come into Midland because it’s just not accessible.

“None of these major state government decisions have been in the best interest of the businesses in Midland, which is leading to its demise.

“So that’s one of the spurs that has got me wanting to run.”

Ms Howlett, who has volunteered thousands of hours to community service, including organising local events, wants a ban on political-owned businesses.

Ms Howlett said she wanted to reform the planning system, which has taken powers away from the community and local governments.

Swan residents will have a chance to see Ms Howlett and talk to her about issues or meet her during her Meetings in the Park events.