Ian Christoe is standing as the Greens candidate for the federal seat of Nicholls in this year’s federal election on May 21, with various challenges to overcome.
Mr Christoe said he was “short of time” for campaigning, as his candidacy had been announced just days before nominations close today.
It comes after the former Greens candidate, Nickee Freeman, resigned in early February after opposing the COVID-19 vaccine mandate. Mr Christoe is triple vaccinated.
‘’It’s going to be a real challenge, there’s not much time and I don’t have much time,’’ he said.
‘’I’m disappointed I won’t be able to run the sort of campaign I would have liked or that Nickee was planning to run.”
This is not Mr Christoe’s first time running as a Greens candidate for the local seat.
He ran in 2007, 2010 and 2016, before Ms Freeman ran in 2019.
Mr Christoe, 62, has lived in Undera all his life and is a cropper on the family farm.
“I work alone and I’m very busy with cropping, so it’s a bad time work-wise (to run),” he said.
“I was hoping a younger person could have done the job.”
When Mr Christoe is not farming he helps care for three granddaughters.
“That's been a wonderful new addition to my life since my last campaigns,” he said.
He completed secondary schooling as well as an Advanced Diploma in Agriculture at Dookie Agricultural College.
Mr Christoe said he was providing a voice for “anyone who’s concerned about the future”.
“In relation to how we protect our environmental assets, and other species, anyone who has any concern at all about the planet and society needs to give the Greens a serious consideration for a vote,” he said.
Key policies he advocates for include climate change, environmental issues and social justice concerns such as housing and health.
“There is a mood for change ... particularly environmental issues as it relates to climate change, there is the need to phase out fossil fuels,” he said.
“There’s a drastic shortage of housing and the Greens have strong policies to address that through a combination of building new public and community housing.”
He also believes Medicare should be enhanced and dental care should be part of it, as it is “overdue”.
Mr Christoe said the coalition had held Nicholls “long enough”.
“They’ve never impressed me in any of their efforts here, it’s been a safe seat for too long that has been overlooked way too many times,” he said.
Mr Christoe said there was “only one” candidate currently in Nicholls in whom he had faith: independent Rob Priestly.
Until told, he “didn’t know anything” about the recently selected Labor candidate, Bill Lodwick, and will further talk about his preferences with the local branch.