An early start has been crucial to Mallee's Federal Election candidates getting to know the Wimmera region and what it needs.
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Science Party candidate Leigh Firman, of Maryborough, announced his candidacy in January. He said his approach involved meeting with local governments.
"I've heard from them what they need doing and what's important, and what I'm finding in general is water transportation, health communications and education," he said.
"I was at Warracknabeal on Wednesday and they need their school finished."
Independent Ray Kingston said he had sought to meet with people with well-positioned roles in as many communities as possible across the Mallee, such as ratepayers, councillors and farmers.
Independent Cecilia Moar said she had established dozens of "listening posts" across Mallee as a way of engaging with as many voters as possible.
"I've had someone contact me asking to be part of a listening post, so they're longing for recognition and someone to listen to them, they know what their own issues are," she said.
"In my experience, they've got a plan and aren't being support there is a real pent up need for them to have a voice, that would be my main job, travelling and listening."
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Ms Moar said mental health, funding for local government and aged care were major concerns she had heard in the Wimmera.
The candidates for two right-wing parties said they have found getting to the Wimmera more difficult, each having only announced their candidacy on April 24.
Rick Grosvenor of Fraser Anning's Conservative National Party said he had mainly established contact through online channels.
"I've been communicating with businesses and organisations around the Mallee," he said.
"In regards to getting around, I haven't been able to do that myself because the party was only registered a month ago, so we're a bit behind," he said.
Rise Up Australia Party's Phillip Mollison said he wasn't campaigning as he still had to work five days a week.
"I'm not out to win, but more to give people another way of voting," he said. "I'm a candidate, I'll come and go but the policies, which I believe in, will stay relevant."
United Australia Party's Rick Millar said this election campaign would be the start of a longer political journey for him, even if he didn't win.
"I've clocked up about 15,000 kilometres speaking to dairy, wheat and sheep farmers and people in the horticulture industry," he said.
"The decaying roads and rail infrastructure is particularly concerning among grain growers and residents of small towns."
Labor candidate Carole Hart and National Anne Webster said they had both travelled across the western Wimmera, including to Nhill , and heard water as a major concern.
Dr Webster said she would push for the pipeline project across the south west Wimmera if elected.
Ms Hart said climate change was also an issue for residents in this area.
On Thursday May 9, Shooters, Fishers and Farmers' party candidate Dan Straub told the Mail-Times he had not yet been able to speak to residents in the western Wimmera,
Liberal Serge Petrovich said he had been doing street walks in Wimmera towns to hear residents' concerns.
"One person I talked to was a Liberal supporter, and he ended up letting me use his house in St Arnaud as a campaign base," Mr Petrovich said.
"I've been hearing from a lot of people the need to increase jobs and infrastructure, which are my concerns too. There are a couple of smaller communities that are concerned about water security I know."
Citizens' Electoral Council candidate Chris Lahy said friends living in Rainbow helped him get to know the Wimmera.
"I've taken some time to understand the demographics and issues of towns like Edenhope, and in many cases their concerns are no different to places like Kerang, Cohuna or St Arnaud," he said.
"Issues to do with councils not getting enough funding and a lack of infrastructure. In Nhill I met with some farmers who discussed the need for a siding loop on the railway so the grain facility there can achieve its optimum."
Independent Jason Modica said he had also spent some time getting to know the Hindmarsh and West Wimmera areas alongside his visits to Horsham.
"A hundred kilometres off the Murray River and you get this different sort of farming which holds the region together," he said.
"I've found the small towns in the Wimmera are suffering from rationalization, amalgamation and privatisation, so institutions that once made them money are turning their backs on these towns. I was in Kaniva and locals were telling me it once had three banks, but now ANZ looks like closing and they only have access to Commonwealth Bank through the post office."
Greens candidate Nicole Rowan, said she got around the Wimmera for a few days last week. She said she was surprised how much more receptive voters and farmers had become to the need to address climate change.
"In the year since I was a state candidate, things seem to have changed," she said. "I've met with farmers across Mallee and it's now just as strong an issue in the country as in the city."
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