As the “Big Four” jostle for position shortly after the starting gates have burst open to commence campaigning for the federal seat of Nicholls, The Riv’s Rohan Aldous takes a closer look at the candidates.
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With the retirement of Nationals MP Damian Drum, the race for Nicholls is wide open.
Coalition candidates Sam Birrell (Nationals) and Steve Brooks (Liberal) have had to work hard in the initial stages to spread their wings through the shires of Campaspe, Moira, Greater Shepparton and Strathbogie.
Independent Rob Priestly has recruited an army of volunteers to assist him in delivering his Time for Change message as the Coalition candidates maintain the “parties provide power” line in their campaigning.
Then there is the late, and unexpected, return of Labor candidate Bill Lodwick, who until a little over a week ago had not thrown his hat in the ring.
He contested the 2019 election against Drum, the first occasion that the seat of Nicholls had been voted on.
Seven additional candidates will be aiming to influence the result of the May 21 election, among them members of One Nation, United Australia Party, the Greens, Liberal Democrats, Citizens Party, Fusion Party and the Australian Federation Party.
Nine of the 11 candidates were involved in a Shepparton forum attended by 200 voters earlier this week, the second opportunity for those earlier candidates to impress voters with their pitch for office.
Echuca hosted five candidates at its forum in early April.
Pre-polling booths will open on May 9, leaving the candidates a little over a week to impress on voters just what they bring to the table.
In assessing the candidates, we looked at, where possible, five different areas — based on interaction with the Echuca community in the initial stages of the campaign.
In some instances there has been little, or no, interaction with some of the candidates who are standing in Nicholls.
Tim Laird
He is among 33 Liberal Democrats standing for Victorian seats at the election, alongside three Senate candidates for Victoria. The party stands for lower taxes, is opposed to restrictions on civil liberties and supports privatising water utilities.
Local knowledge: Unfair to judge him at this stage.
Self-promotion: 4/10, haven’t heard from him.
Strengths: Appears to be connected to community and youth groups.
Weaknesses: Not a well-known name to many in the electorate.
Key towns: Throughout the Goulburn Valley.
Sam Birrell
His strong connections to the Shepparton business community, and the support of popular retiring member Damian Drum, have catapulted him into favouritism.
Local knowledge: 9.5/10, born and bred. Very well connected.
Self-promotion: 9/10, strong social media presence and very personable (see Pots with a Pollie at The Prince in Seymour on Friday, April 29, at 5.30pm).
Strengths: Damian Drum support, history of region.
Weaknesses: People looking for change.
Key towns: Shepparton, Toolamba/Murchison region.
Rikkie-Lee Tyrrell
Polled 11.29 per cent of the votes (10,754 votes) at the 2019 election, third behind Damian Drum (51.27 per cent) and Bill Lodwick (19.41 per cent).
Local knowledge: 6.5/10, running a dairy farm probably doesn’t allow her to get out all that much.
Self-promotion: 7/10, works her own area very well.
Strengths: Tells it how it is, easy to talk to.
Weaknesses: Going up against the Coalition candidates is a tough assignment.
Key towns: Shepparton, Invergordon and district.
Bill Lodwick
Was a clear second pick in 2019 when no Liberal candidate stood against Damian Drum. He polled almost 20 per cent of the vote, following up on the 14.81 per cent return for Alan Williams in the 2016 Murray vote.
Local knowledge: 8/10, being a previous candidate will know the landscape.
Self-promotion: 6/10, haven’t heard much.
Strengths: Election experience, ALP polling results.
Weaknesses: History of the electorate and region.
Key towns: Shepparton, Yarrawonga.
Jeff Davy
Arrived on the scene in March, although not totally unexpected as this will be his fourth tilt at a federal election. The Katunga farmer, who now lives in Numurkah, polled less than one per cent of the vote in 2016.
Local knowledge: 6/10, knows Numurkah and district like the back of his hand.
Self-promotion: 5/10, had the one introduction letter but not much since.
Strengths: Experience in federal electioneering.
Weaknesses: Focusing on one region with his campaigning.
Key towns: Numurkah, Katunga and district.
Dr Robert Peterson
In mid-January the retired Seymour doctor threw his hat in the ring on the back of statements in regard to his concern about vaccine mandates.
Local knowledge: 7/10, strong in the southern region.
Self-promotion: 6/10, small volunteer team has not helped.
Strengths: Medical knowledge, stance on vaccines. Southern electorate presence.
Weaknesses: Not widely known in northern part of electorate, where most voters are based.
Key towns: Seymour, Strathbogie shire.
Ian Christoe
Polled 4.41 per cent of the vote when he stood at the 2016 federal election for the seat of Murray, which was won by Damian Drum ahead of the Liberal Party’s Duncan McGauchie.
Local knowledge: 7/10, has been involved in a variety of community groups.
Self-promotion: 6/10, haven’t heard much from him apart from what was already known.
Strengths: Experience in elections, this is his fifth.
Weaknesses: Previous results.
Key towns: Goulburn Valley region.
Andrea Otto
There are 19 Fusion Party candidates standing at the 2022 federal election, the party formed through the merger of the Science Party, Pirate Party, Secular Party, Vote Planet and Climate Change Justice Party.
Steve Brooks
Only days into the new year the Cobram orchardist and secondary school teacher with strong family roots in Nicholls burst on to the scene. He has been extremely active in most Nicholls towns since then.
Local knowledge: 8.5/10, particularly strong in Shepparton, where he went to school, and Cobram, where he grew up.
Self-promotion: 9/10, likeable candidate who has worked hard since January.
Strengths: Farming knowledge, connection to electorate.
Weaknesses: Sam Birrell is probably seen as the Coalition’s number one man.
Key towns: Cobram, Shepparton.
Eleonor Tabone
Representing the Australian Federation Party, which on its website claimed to be "the first political party in the history of Australia to define a six-step pact where our candidates commit to serve the people, not the party’’.
Rob Priestly
Started his unofficial campaign in mid-October last year, spreading a see of orange through the electorate, having surrendered his position as a City of Greater Shepparton Councillor.
Local knowledge: 8.5/10, if he didn’t know the area before he does now.
Self-promotion: 9.5/10, has been absolutely everywhere.
Strengths: People person, sticking to the narrative of Time for Change.
Weaknesses: No party alignment, or is that a strength?
Key towns: Shepparton, Echuca.
Kyabram Free Press and Campaspe Valley News editor