Finally, after months of politicians’ posturing, debate and pleas, Australians will go to the ballot box on Saturday and there are 11 candidates in Nicholls competing for your vote.
The lower house form for Nicholls will have 11 boxes with names beside them, and you need to number every box from one to 11 in the order of your preferred candidates.
Candidates may have volunteers at polling booths on the day handing out ‘how-to-vote’ cards — you do not need to follow the order of those cards when casting your ballot.
The main three contenders for the seat are the Nationals’ Sam Birrell, the Liberals’ Steve Brooks and independent Rob Priestly, while Labor and a host of minor parties are also running and stand an outside chance of shaping the result.
Here they are listed in ballot order, with a brief overview of what they stand for as a refresher ahead of Saturday’s vote.
Tim Laird, Liberal Democrats
Mr Laird hasn’t been sighted in Nicholls across the election campaign, not appearing at either candidates’ forum or on the campaign trail.
He represents a libertarian party that wants less government regulation, and has an extensive “freedom manifesto” online.
The Liberal Democrats want to drastically cut government services and change the welfare system to hand out less cash, but reduce taxes.
Sam Birrell, National Party
Mr Birrell is a former Committee for Greater Shepparton chief executive and is running for the Nationals in a bid to follow in the footsteps of Damian Drum.
He has campaigned on the Nationals’ record in regional Australia and regional Victoria, and said funding promises for sports stadiums in Shepparton and Yarrawonga, the new Rural Clinical Health School in Shepparton and a wellness hub in Seymour had strengthened his view that delivery was easier as part of a political party.
He said having a voice in the Nationals party room was important for the region.
Mr Birrell is also focused on ensuring the region doesn’t have water taken in buybacks, and continuing to support infrastructure funding to the region.
Rikkie-Lee Tyrrell, Pauline Hanson’s One Nation
The One Nation candidate for Nicholls is Rikkie-Lee Tyrrell, who ran last time in the region for the Pauline Hanson-led party.
Senator Malcolm Roberts launched the party’s water policy in Katamatite earlier this month, which includes metering the Northern Basin and getting a fair share for farmers in the region.
Ms Tyrrell has also spoken about ending COVID-19 vaccine mandates across the country and building new coal-fired power stations to lower energy costs.
Bill Lodwick, Labor
Labor traditionally hasn’t had a big presence in the region, but Bill Lodwick will again run for the party.
This time he’s determined to make a splash, with Labor garnering more than 20 per cent of the primary vote last election and Mr Lodwick not convinced it’s only a three-horse race.
If you’ve been following much of the campaign you’ll know Labor wants to make TAFE free and open more university spots, strengthen Medicare, make childcare cheaper and close the gender pay gap, and also open an after-hours emergency GP clinic in Shepparton.
Jeff Davy, Australian Citizens Party
Mr Davy has appeared once in front of the media during the campaign, during the candidates’ forum last month.
During the forum he brought the answer of nearly every question back to a complete overhaul of the financial system, bringing it back to pre-Hawke and Keating era policies.
His party wants to turn post offices into government-owned banks, establish a national infrastructure bank and use Australian money to build large infrastructure projects in the north of the country.
Robert Peterson, United Australia Party
Dr Peterson is a former Seymour doctor who retired after more than three decades as a GP, and has support in the southern part of the electorate.
He has vocally protested against vaccine mandates and many pandemic restrictions, which forms a large part of the United Australia Part’s platform, but the party is also campaigning on capping interest rates on home loans at three per cent, and a 15 per cent iron ore tax to tackle national debt.
Dr Peterson wants to be “the mouse that roared” come election night.
Ian Christoe, Greens
Undera farmer Mr Christoe hasn’t been sighted much during the campaign, with the election coming during a busy time on the farm.
Most voters are familiar with the Greens’ environmental policies — increasing protection for the environment, slashing emissions and reaching 100 per cent renewable energy as quickly as possible.
The party is also campaigning on making university and TAFE free, wiping student debt and forming a treaty with the country’s First Nations people.
Andrea Otto, Fusion Party
Ms Otto is representing the Fusion Party, which is a combination of many smaller, fringe parties.
Their policies are progressive, looking to fight corruption, economic inequality and combat climate change — including ramping up renewable output to 800 per cent of the country’s needs to begin exporting electricity, and beginning a trial of universal basic income.
Steve Brooks, Liberal Party
Mr Brooks is a pomegranate grower and teacher from Cobram, whose family has lived in the region for generations.
He has leaned into the legacy of Sharman Stone, and said he wanted a regional voice in the Liberal Party room.
He has been vocal on ensuring the region is represented in the Coalition party room in one way or another.
Mr Brooks said he will stand up for the region’s water rights after a stoush last year over water where the Liberals knocked back a Nationals push to change their policy.
Eleonor Tabone, Australian Federation Party
Ms Tabone also hasn’t been sighted across the electorate in the campaign or appeared at any media events.
Her party wants to break up the concentration of market power in monopolies in the banking, retail and utilities sector and make superannuation voluntary.
It also stands for stripping local government of its obligation to deliver services, it wants a 15 per cent corporate tax rate and is heavily backing Christian values.
Rob Priestly, independent
Mr Priestly is a former City of Greater Shepparton City deputy mayor, he sat on the Committee for Greater Shepparton, and owns a business in Mooroopna.
Mr Priestly has been focused on integrity through his campaign, seeking a federal corruption body.
He said in the event of a hung parliament he would negotiate with either side, keeping the electorate’s conservative leanings in mind, but hasn’t locked himself into supporting one side or the other.
He said his main policy to use as a bargaining chip would be introducing minimum standards in health and aged care and ensuring the Federal Government would take responsibility for key health areas.