Let the games begin

THE battle for the federal seat of Indi has begun in earnest, with candidates quickly pivoting into full campaign mode following Prime Minister Anthony Albanese officially dissolving parliament last Friday morning and calling a federal election on 3 May. The announcement, just days after Labor handed down its 2025/26 federal budget, kickstarts a five-week election campaign for candidates. Incumbent Independent Helen Haines, Liberal James Trenery, Labor's Mitch Bridges, The Greens' Alysia Regan, Family First Party's Michael White, One Nation's Athol Thomas and Libertarian Party's Tim Quilty have already declared their candidacy. While the Nationals, who polled 3.7 per cent of the primary vote in the 2022 Indi election, are a non starter, other candidates are likely to emerge before nominations close on 10 April. Incumbent Independent MP Helen Haines will be seeking her third term this election and said she would be fighting for what matters to Indi, not party politics. “We set our own priorities right here in Indi and I’ll keep fighting for a fair deal for us and for regional Australia," she said. Dr Haines outlined key election pledges going into her campaign would include the Border community’s fight for a new Albury-Wodonga hospital, further local infrastructure to unlock new housing, improve health services, access to childcare and telecommunications and government accountability. “I’ve got a strong track record and worked across party lines and with governments of both stripes,” she said. “Whether that’s been fighting for stranded communities during the pandemic, relief for communities impacted by bushfires, shaping the national agenda with housing solutions, and securing a National Anti-Corruption Commission, I’ve had local impact and national influence. “We share a vision of what Indi is and could be.” Liberal candidate James Trenery is looking to win the Indi seat for his party for the first time in 12 years. For the Liberals to overcome the orange wave, Mr Trenery would need to pull off a near nine per cent swing from the 2022 election. He said he is looking to deliver on the community’s call for change. “Here in the North East, the past three years have been tough… we have not got our fair share,” the former Indigo Shire councillor said. Mr Trenery has pledged to follow through with his party’s plan to halve the fuel excise and drop the price of fuel by around 24 cents per litre, as well as delivering on cheaper energy with a mix of renewables, and “getting tough” on violent crime. “Our Liberal plan will lower the cost of living immediately,” he said. “We can’t afford another three years of Labor and Helen Haines.” Wodonga social worker Mitch Bridges will be vying for the seat as Indi’s Labor candidate, and said this election "is a clear choice between Labor building Australia’s future and strengthening Medicare with an $8.5b boost, or Peter Dutton, who will cut services and make you pay". "I’m committed to supporting our community with real solutions...under the Albanese Government, we’ve eased cost-of-living pressures through energy bill relief, tax cuts, and investments in affordable housing and childcare," he said. "We're also improving the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) to make medicines more affordable, and our industrial relations reforms have improved working conditions and provided better security for workers." Taggerty-based Alysia Regan, who is The Greens' candidate, said the Indi electorate was being left behind in terms of housing. “This election, we can’t keep voting for the same two parties and expect a different result,” she said. “Labor and the Coalition are both backing new coal and gas and worsening the climate crisis… meanwhile, regional Victoria is experiencing more climate-related disasters, including bushfires and floods. “I’m proud to be part of a party that is fighting for no new coal and gas, publicly owned renewable energy, cheaper groceries, and a rent freeze.” Family First Party of Australia have announced Michael White as their candidate for the Indi seat while Wodonga accountant and former councillor and state upper house MP Tim Quilty is running for the Libertarian Party. Athol Thomas of Wodonga and the Kiewa Valley will stand for One Nation, hoping a background in cattle farming and focus on the agricultural sector will bring him votes. “I want to provide an alternate for a lot of people who have become disenfranchised with Liberal in particular," he said. "One Nation policies are fantastic policies that are clearly geared towards the reduction of cost-of living, reduction of energy costs and future growth for Australians. “They’re all policies that impact Indi quite significantly and I don’t know if Helen Haines has presented anything forward in her six years of being in parliament that have assisted the electorate in any of those ways. “People really need to delve deeper into what political parties offer...it’s not just what’s at face value that comes across a lot of mainstream media.” One Nation tallied the fourth most primary votes in the 2022 election under candidate Beth Stevens, with 5.28pc. Other parties to have candidates run in the last election including the Animal Justice Party and United Australia Party (Trumpet of Patriots Party) have yet to announce if they'll contest Indi. Indi has been held by an Independent since Cathy McGowan beat then Liberal incumbent Sophie Mirabella at the 2013 election. ENROL TO VOTE: The Australian Electoral Commission has advised that you must be correctly enrolled by 8pm Monday, 7 April, to vote in the federal election. For more details go to the AEC website.

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