Casey Iddon to run as Independent for Wide Bay in 2025 federal election

A young Independent hopes to end five decades of National and Liberal party dominance in Wide Bay come the federal election, a status quo he says has left the region ‘too safe’, which was costing it badly.

Casey Iddon will run as an Independent for Wide Bay in the upcoming federal election 2025.

A new candidate for Wide Bay has thrown his hat into the ring, asking for more transparency on federal funding and why the region has missed out on so much in recent times.

Casey Iddon of Maryborough will run as an Independent at the impending federal election, which some are tipping could be on April 12, arguing the area has become too much of a safe seat after 50 years of Liberal National dominance in the electorate.

“The system is not serving us,” he said.

“We’re not getting anything in Wide Bay because we aren’t a marginal seat.

“I’m trying to be apolitical while also trying to fight for needs-based funding and better transparency in terms of how it’s given out.”

Describing himself as a “quiet and introverted person”, the 38-year-old, who has lived in Maryborough since 2021 with his wife and children, decided to run for public office after experiences with Wide Bay health services, most notably Hervey Bay Hospital, where his wife had a distressing experience.

“My wife had to go into emergency surgery last year, but they didn’t have the capability to do it in Maryborough so they sent us to Hervey Bay,” he said.

“She just had a really bad experience up there.

“I think (Hervey Bay Hospital) is overwhelmed because it gets patients from everywhere.

“That just sent me on a journey to ask ‘how come health care is so bad here?’”

Casey Iddon will run as an Independent for Wide Bay in the 2025 federal election.

On his campaign trail, he has run into many families in the area with “heartbreaking” stories from their experiences with the healthcare system.

Casey was especially disappointed by the federal government’s announcement of 156 new urgent care clinics across the country, with none to be delivered to Wide Bay.

The ability for young workers to find a trade also worries Mr Iddon, and he believes these pathways need to be better funded.

He has a variety of experience in multiple areas of employment, including being a research analyst, a painter, a university tutor, and has run a food truck with his family.

He also reflects on his own childhood, growing up in working class areas such as Portland in Victoria and Mackay, and understands the struggle of living in smaller towns that can be neglected on a larger scale.

From the Wide Bay residents he has spoken to, Mr Iddon understands the hesitancy against voting independent, but also pitches his idea on how it could work for the Wide Bay.

“As an Independent, it’s going to be hard.

“Something people do tell me is that voting for an Independent is a wasted vote.

“If I was elected, I’d be sitting on the cross bench and the governing party would need to talk to me to do things.

“I’d be in a great negotiating position.”

Mr Iddon is a big believer that an Independent would be best for Wide Bay, even if that candidate was not him.

“At the end of the day, politics is about looking after our community,” he said.

“We’re all human beings trying to make the community better.”