Indi candidates launch campaigns as Federal election announced

Labor Candidate Nadia David launched her official campaign on Friday, April 8, in Wodonga.

Present Federal Member for Indi Helen Haines launched her campaign for re-election on Sunday, also in Wodonga.

Nadia David — Labor

“We have done so well so far this campaign,” Ms David said.

“I have been campaigning for about a year now, meeting hundreds of people, talking about all the issues facing voters around Indi, and I am keen to celebrate who we are as Labor people.

“I love being part of the Labor family, being part of the union family, and being a Labor candidate in rural Australia.

“We believe in a government that helps people when they need it, that works hard to improve the lives of everyone, not just the wealthy few, and who sees working Australians as the backbone of this country.

“We believe in gender equality, disability equality and giving people all the opportunities to live their best lives.

“We just really want to give our supporters a chance to have a great time before we start the last big push to election day.”

Ms David was in Benalla on March 17 with former ALP leader Bill shorten.

The pair met outside the former Benalla Centrelink office to campaign for its reopening, a topic important to many in the Rose City.

While Ms David has not made its reopening an election promise, she has vowed to fight for the vital service to return to Benalla, with many unable to get to the Wangaratta office because of disadvantage and a lack of public transport links.

Liz Fisher — Nationals

Ms Fisher welcomed Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce to Indi.

She said Mr Joyce took the time to understand issues important to voters, and acknowledged the Mobile Black Spot Program was initiated by the Nationals and Liberals in government.

“(More than) $875 million in total investment delivering more than 1250 new mobile base stations has certainly improved our communications, but there is more to be done,” she said.

“I visited a farm near Devenish where the coverage was one bar of 3G...

“I couldn’t send texts, check emails or make phone calls — all essential to operate a business. There are many areas throughout the electorate like this.”

Another area she touched on was ageing in place.

“Senior couples want to stay together in their home but need support,” she said.

“I’ve met couples married for over 50 years who have been separated by one of them entering residential aged care.

“This can be distressing to the partner left at home. Sometimes the nearest aged-care facility is many kilometres away, making visiting difficult.”

She pointed to the additional 80,000 Home-Care Packages announced in the Budget to enable Ageing in Place in response to the Royal Commission into Aged Care.

Ms Fisher was also introduced to a local family with triplets whose grandparents recently escaped the war in Ukraine.

Ms Fisher also expressed gratitude that parents in Indi had a range of options in education.

“The state government schools are complemented by independent schools allowing parents to choose what is best for their child’s needs,” she said.

Helen Haines — Independent

Dr Haines laid out a vision for Indi, of a prosperous regional community where people are set up not just to survive, but to thrive.

“We want a community where, when you get old, you know you can get care at home, and if you need it, you can find a place in residential aged care, close to home, and you know you’ll be cared for well there,” Dr Haines said.

“A community where you are not afraid of having no phone reception in a case of emergency.

“A community where we invest in education, local training and local manufacturing...

“A community where people who have lived here all their lives, and people moving here for the first time, can afford to buy a house.

“A community where you can find a GP or a psychologist when you need one, where our doctors and nurses have everything they need...

“And a thriving regional economy that builds on the best agriculture, the best forestry, the best local manufacturing, the most vibrant arts, and the best tourism industry that this nation has to offer.”

Dr Haines said she would also work towards:

Dr Haines said in Indi, people did not vote against something, but for something.

“I have never believed more strongly in the importance and power of our community thinking and speaking for ourselves, the importance, of an independent Indi,” Dr Haines said.

“And that’s why this year, we, the people of Indi, are being called to reaffirm that no party owns us, no party can speak for us. Because we will speak for ourselves.”

Ross Lyman — Liberal

Mr Lyman visited Benalla on Monday, April 11, and spent some time visiting Tomorrow Today.

“This is a really good example where a community organisation can work with business,” Mr Lyman said.

“It has 120 odd partnerships within the community, and it has seen more than 200 families come through, getting them on their feet, into education and into the workplace.

“It’s had some Federal funding in the past and it’s been great to see their operation and how much help they give the community.”

My Lyman described himself as a passionate local.

“I’ve got two young children who live in Wangaratta, and I live in Wahgunyah,” he said.

“What I bring to the table is front line leadership experience out of the military as well as quite extensive business experience in agriculture and manufacturing.”

He said there were four key pillars he brought to the table:

“These encompass things like health services and health infrastructure,” he said.

“On the manufacturing side I’m looking to bring in bigger business as well as defence manufacturing, and getting that back into the regions as much as possible.

“It’s about lifting the profile of the north east and getting our goods and services out to key markets around the world.

“As well as bringing in tourists, which makes up a big chunk of our revenue in the north east.”

Speaking about the size of the electorate Mr Lyman said the key thing for him was getting out and understanding each of the different communities in Indi.

“Whilst it is a diverse geographic electorate the only way is to get out on the ground, and that’s what I’ve been doing in the past few weeks,” he said.

“If elected I’ll continue to do that — engaging as much as possible with community groups, sporting clubs and businesses and understanding what their key concerns are.

“National security is (another area) becoming more front of mind as we see what has happened with Russia and Ukraine and what is happening with China in the Indo-Pacific.

“What I offer from a Liberal part point of view is different to the sitting member and I think that we are looking to the future to build the future

“At a Federal level we’re looking to grow the economy and look after our national security, and that is the experience I bring to the table.”

There are four other candidates in Indi who The Ensign is yet to speak to: