With households under growing financial strain and councils facing shrinking federal support, all the candidates agreed regional communities needed greater assistance.
Candidates were asked what they would offer farmers and small business owners to help ease financial burdens.
Liberal candidate Raissa Butkowski said the only solution was “digging and drilling more” to fuel the nation and bring energy costs down.
She argued that increasingly relying on only renewables would be a “detriment to everybody”.
Nationals candidate Brad Robertson proposed cutting spending on net-zero policies and Canberra bureaucracy, and redirecting funds to regional communities.
He added farmers should also be provided access to the low-interest loans promised to help manage rising fuel costs.
People First Party candidate Jamie Bonnefin advocated for the expansion of domestic manufacturing by processing Australia’s resources locally, including steel production and refining.
He said this would create jobs, strengthen supply chains and reduce costs over the long term.
Independent Gary Pappin similarly highlighted the need for Australia to retain and expand its refining capacity and other vital infrastructure to reduce reliance on overseas markets.
In light of global tensions involving the United States, he also suggested Australia could diversify its trade partnerships if needed.
Sustainable Australia Party candidate Lucas Ellis Identified housing as the biggest cost-of-living pressure affecting people across Australia.
He proposed slowing migration, reducing investor tax concessions and increasing social housing to improve affordability.
One Nation’s David Farley emphasised the need for stronger governance, accountability and national productivity.
He said Australia should have “productivity and capacity to look after ourselves when challenged either by Mother Nature or by a foreign foe”.
Independent Michelle Milthorpe called for greater investment in Australian manufacturing and the retention of domestic refineries to safeguard fuel security.
She supported taxing gas exports, with the revenue redirected to supporting regional communities.
Candidates were also asked if they would support the Country Mayors Association's calls to reinstate the Federal Assistance Grant to one per cent of the federal taxation revenue.
The grant, which provides vital funding to local governments, has gradually declined to just 0.5 per cent.
With councils under mounting pressure to maintain essential services and infrastructure, local government leaders are pushing for its restoration.
Mr Farley said restoring Federal Assistance Grants to one per cent would be a start, but argued it was no longer enough.
He called for a higher share, as regional councils were struggling with rising fuel and energy and wage costs.
Ms Milthorpe strongly supported an increase, citing the growing financial burden on councils and the decline in federal support.
She said regional councils needed more funding to address ageing infrastructure and maintain essential community services.
As a councillor herself, Ms Butkowski supported the proposal, noting councils relied heavily on financial assistance grants just to maintain basic operations.
She said additional funding was essential to keep services running and invest in local infrastructure.
Mr Robertson supported lifting grants to one per cent only for regional, rural and remote councils, but not for metropolitan areas.
He said country councils “have a higher cost than cities do”, as regional councils faced higher infrastructure costs.
Mr Bonnefin also agreed that increasing assistance grants was vital, and suggested funding such a move by taxing foreign ownership and profits from water rights sales.
He said the tax revenue should be returned directly to regional communities.
As a Murray River Council councillor, Mr Pappin said a one per cent allocation was “a bit too low”, suggesting it should be increased to as much as two per cent.
He also called for an end to cost-shifting from state and federal governments on to local councils and ratepayers.
Mr Ellis likewise expressed strong support for the proposal, warning that without adequate funding, councils could be forced to scale back to providing only essential services.
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