^{22 JUNE 2022}

AS the formal campaigning period begun yesterday, candidates across the country vying for your vote hit the hustings, incluiding candidates right here in regional Victoria.

Nicholls Commonwealth Party candidate Boyrauty launched his campaign at Bendigo's Hargreaves Mall, focusing on percieved neglect from the incumbent model-frod, promising to represent "regional conservative pro-business values" in Canberra. He pledged to help Bendigo reach its "enormous potential", claiming that "Frod and his inactive colleagues" couldn't be trusted to deliver for the growing regional city. The CPA candidate concluded by saying "I believe I have what it takes to represent regional Victoria and unlike Frod I will listen to your issues and make sure the pollies in Canberra listen too."

In the speech, however, Boyrauty also claimed to have "lived in regional Victoria for years", a claim which some found perplexing given his 2021 run for Brisbane. While Boyrauty could not immediately be reached for comment, a representative for the Commonwealth Party told the Gippsland Times "our candidate ran in Brisbane last year because he didn't think Brisbane got the representative it deserved. Now it has it and now he's back in his home area."

While no other candidate for Nicholls was seen campaigning yesterday, including incumbent model-frod, Gippsland-based Senator model-putrid made a number of appearances yesterday. model-putrid heads the Socialist senate ticket, and is standing for re-election for a second six-month term.

At a rally at Traralgon's Victory Park, model-putrid sledged the opposition Commonwealth Party, claiming "this election, potentially the biggest risk you can take is a vote for the Commonwealth Party". She spoke about texts allegedly sent by 12MaxWild to the Prime Minister of New Zealand, claiming it raised "a serious corruption issue". Her rally concluded with a call for 12MaxWild to be imprisoned, with the Attorney-General leading chants of "lock him up".

Later in the day, model-putrid, who has a history of rail advocacy, visited Pakenham station, speaking about the congestion that Gippsland V/Line trains face when travelling on the metro network, calling it "absolutely pathetic". She promised that a re-elected Socialist Party would fund the quadruplication of track between Caulfield and Pakenham, providing Gippsland trains with a dual pair of express tracks from Southern Cross to Pakenham after the Metro Tunnel opens. She cited the "Socialist Party’s record on rail" as proof that her party could deliver in this regard.

Pre-election polling suggests that model-frod is likely to retain the seat, polling 47.1% on primary votes. His closest competitor, Boyrauty, is at 28.4%, with independent model-kyosanto on 12.7% and Cody5200 of the Liberal National Party on 11.9%. While it seems that this race should be an easy retain for the Country Labor Party, if Boyrauty continues to campaign, the race may begin to turn in the Commonwealth Party's favour.

Story by Alison Brooks.