A Surf Coast Shire councillor is among five people looking to battle it out for the Corangamite seat in the upcoming federal election.
Paul Barker announced his candidacy for the federal seat of Corangamite at 8pm on February 28 and will be the candidate for the Libertarian Party.
Mr Barker previously ran for the federal seat as a candidate for the then Liberal Democrats in 2022 and said it was important to put people above politics.
“The reality is that there’s so many areas that the federal government takes taxes of people that really go nowhere,” he said.
“The benefit of preferential voting means that your vote can go whichever way you want. Voters aren’t forced into following the preference suggestions of any party or candidate.
“Politics has an interest in everyone and as we’ve seen at various levels of government, many decisions are made that don’t consider the needs of the ordinary everyday Australians.”
Mr Barker said it was important for the community to regain control of their lives by reducing government interference.
“(I am focusing on) laying the foundation for a more free society. Most people argue that we do live in a free society and superficially that’s true,” he said.
“But when you look into the nuts and bolts of how governments function, how much it costs to live, and how many taxes we are forced to pay, that all adds up to an astronomical increase in the cost of living.
“I just ask everyone to think back three years to the last election. Think back decades to previous elections and ask themselves whether they’re doing any better.”
