Nicholls voters have their say

The Telegraph took to the streets and spoke with lunchgoers in Seymour against the backdrop of campaign signs and trailers.

The lack of affordable housing was one of the most important issues for Cara, a Shepparton-based employment consultant.

“There's no housing, it's ridiculous,” she said.

Cara is concerned about the number of 15 to 24-year-olds who she works with who are sleeping rough, couch surfing or at risk of homelessness.

While she is yet to decide which party she will vote for, she is hoping to find a candidate who will invest more in social housing and tackle housing wait lists.

For Seymour retiree Eileen, it will be “very hard to make a decision this year”.

At this stage, Eileen is looking to the two major political parties and leaning towards Labor Leader Anthony Albanese as she is not thrilled “with things the other one’s been doing”.

George, who lives in Seymour and is currently unemployed, is dismayed with the current crop of politicians.

“It’s like playing Tattslotto. No-one tells the truth and at the end of the day it’s all about their hip pocket, as simple as that. Trust has got to be proven,” he said.

Unimpressed with the major parties, George will be voting for the United Australia Party as he believes it will stand up for disadvantaged Australians.

He said he would “go for the underdog, like Aussies do”.

“We don’t go for the guy who's tougher and stronger, we go for the guy who's weaker for some reason. You know, you like the underdog to get up there,” he said.

Seymour retiree Brenda still hasn’t decided who will gain her vote.

“I don't know. It's just too hard,” she said.

“I mean, you listen to both sides and one says black, the other says white, and then there's no in between.”

State-based mask restrictions are most likely to sway Brenda’s vote and she believes there should be “one rule for everyone”. But she won’t make a decision until she is back from an Easter holiday spent in Broken Hill.

“Because we're going away, I've been busy planning my holiday and not worrying too much about it,” she said.

Health, aged care, poverty and housing are the top issues for Mark, a psychologist from Broadford.

He will be steering away from the Liberal and National parties, believing that “Liberal and National governments have always kept the poor poorer”.

If Labor does not field a candidate in Nicholls, he will mostly likely vote for Independent candidate Rob Priestly as “he’s not Liberal and he’s not National.”

Debbie cares for her grandchildren in Seymour and wants to see more money put into aged care “where it’s needed”.

“I worked in aged care for a long time. It’s sad the way thing are done,” she said

Like many Nicholls voters, she is still looking for her candidate of choice.