2022 Victorian election: National Party without candidates in key seats

The Nationals are lacking numbers as the Victorian election looms, with one of their federal MPs reportedly being encouraged to go state.

Regional Victoria’s three key crossbenchers are without National Party challengers, eight months out from the 2022 state election.

Shepparton, held by independent MP Suzanna Sheed; Mildura, held by fellow independent MP Ali Cupper; and Morwell, held by ex-National Party minister Russell Northe — are without major party competition ahead of the November poll.

National Party state director Matthew Harris said nominations for key seats such as Morwell will open in the coming weeks.

“The Nationals are the only truly grassroots party that has our local members choosing our candidates,” Mr Harris said.

“Nominations for seats across regional Victoria will open in the next few weeks.

“We look forward to running outstanding candidates who will provide a positive alternative to independents who have repeatedly supported Daniel Andrews and his arrogant, divisive government.”

Mr Northe, who won Morwell with 19.56 per cent of the primary vote in 2018, outpaced Labor candidate Mark Richards in the two party preferred race after more than a week of counting and recounting.

Labor are also yet to select a candidate for the Latrobe Valley constituency, which was held by former Brumby government minister Keith Hamilton for 14 years.

Premier Daniel Andrews said the processor to select a Labor candidate for Morwell would occur soon.

“It’s up to the people of Morwell whether they want a voice in government or not – or if they want a Labor voice. I’d obviously encourage them to support a Labor candidate,” Mr Andrews said.

The National Party preselected Traralgon-based Sheridan Bond as their candidate in 2018 and she fourth in the first preference race behind Liberal candidate Dale Harriman.

Federal Gippsland MP Darren Chester has been encouraged by some within the National Party to switch from Canberra to Spring Street and run for Morwell, although Mr Chester hasn’t commented publicly on the matter.

Meanwhile, in Shepparton, the National Party’s 2018 candidate Peter Schwarz has ruled himself out of the race, once considered a safe seat for the junior Coalition partner.

Mr Schwarz won a much-publicised community preselection race for the seat in early 2018, in which anyone enrolled to vote in the electorate could participate.

He told The Weekly Times that the Coalition could win back the seat from the crossbench but that he wouldn’t be in the running.

“No, definitely not, I’m not getting involved this time around,” Mr Schwarz said.

“I certainly see potential for the Nats to win (Shepparton) back. The so-called super school at Shepparton has been very unpopular, infrastructure has really been ignored by the government.

“The independent has been campaigning for eight years for improved train services and nothing has come from that. I think there’s a mood for change.”

Mildura has been held by a mix of National, Liberal and independent MPs during the past three decades — most famously held by crossbencher Russell Savage at the 1999 poll which ultimately ascended Steve Bracks to power.

At the 2018 election, independent MP Ms Cupper ousted incumbent National Party MP Peter Crisp in a tight two-party preferred race.

Ms Cupper formed a short-term political union with Reason Party MP Fiona Patten in 2020 but ended the arrangement last year.