General News
4 February, 2022
Baldwin throws hat in ring for seat of Mallee
Ms Baldwin announced her candidacy in Mildura on Friday and will stage a series of meetings across the electorate.
SOPHIE Baldwin has announced she will go up against Member for Mallee Anne Webster as an independent candidate in the upcoming federal election.
Hailing from Cohuna, Ms Baldwin is a retired dairy farmer, journalist, and in 2020 she was appointed chief executive of Southern Riverina Irrigators.
She is the second person to announce their intention to nominate as an independent for the electorate of Mallee, with Horsham Rural City councillor Claudia Haenel announcing her intention to nominate in December 2021.
Ms Baldwin announced her candidacy in Mildura on Friday February 4 and will stage a series of meetings across the electorate in coming weeks.
Ms Baldwin highlighted several regional issues she intends to campaign on.
“I believe rural and regional Australia has been left without a voice; and petty party politics doesn’t just hold us back, it’s now setting back our lifestyle and our potential,” she said.
“No, I don’t have all the answers; would never claim I did; but many of you will, as a community you know what you really need – and your voices must be heard.
“I do know I want my children to feel they have a future open to possibilities – a future where they can afford to buy a house, have access to adequate healthcare, where education and healthcare isn’t just for those who can pay for it and where government works hard to empower people, not overwhelm them in irrelevant legislation while removing more and more personal rights.
Ms Baldwin also said that agriculture, food security and the environment must be supported in the region.
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Ms Baldwin has chosen to run as an independent candidate to avoid having to ‘play games’ and ‘toe the party line’.
“Mallee urgently needs new representation and leadership based on community-driven solutions," she said.
“Independents have a genuine voice and can make a real difference. An independent is driven by the community and works for the community, not for a party donor with a hidden agenda.
“If this election does come down to a party governing with a small (or non-existent) majority, a seat such as Mallee moving to an independent creates serious leverage to secure investment and funding only dreamt of when ranked a ‘safe’ Coalition seat.”
The election has not yet been called but it is expected the prime minister will call it in the next couple of months.