Seymour celebrates election day

By Evan Wallace

May 21, 2022

In a campaign that has brought unprecedented attention to Seymour, a mood of tension has shifted to anticipation and relief on election day.

Voters were met by a mixture of seasoned campaigners, excited volunteers and family ring-ins handing out how-to-vote cards. With voters coming in waves to Seymour Anglican Parish Hall, there was an air of celebration and anticipation on the final day of voting

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Against the backdrop of sunny late May weather, volunteers were feeling optimistic about what the result might bring.

Rod Heath, who had United Australia Party candidate Dr Rob Peterson as his best man, was hopeful about how the count would progress.

“We hope he can get double figures, if he can get 10% I might be very happy” he said.

Speaking against mandates Mr Heath said he was concerned that governments were not discussing vaccine mandates, which he described as “totally against people’s civil liberties and against the Nuremberg Convention.”

Julie Morgan was supporting Labor Candidate Bill Lodwick. Ms Morgan was surprised by the number of voters who weren’t taking cards believing that many voters had already made up their mind prior to heading into the ballot box.

Ms Morgan who has been a Labor Party member since she was 15 was pleased to support Mr Lodwick for a second time around.

“Bill is a good genuine man,” she said.

“He’s very intelligent and very interested in local issues and doing the best for people in the electorate.”

Younger faces defined the support for independent Rob Priestly and the Nationals’ Sam Birrell.

Claire Salter Parry who knew Rob Priestly from GV Cares was surprised by the busyness at the Anglican Church. She was excited about the prospect of Nicholls having independent representation.

“I think he puts his money where his mouth is, and I’d like to see better representation for the community of Nicholls... the major parties have lost their way,” she said.

“We’ve seen just over the past week how grubby things have become and Rob’s maintained his integrity throughout all of that.”

Leonie Feery met Mr Birrell recently at a local football match and described the candidate as “very pleasant”. She thought the Nationals were best placed to represent regional Victoria.

“I just think people need to remember that the Nationals are about country people,” she explained.

“We won’t have a voice if we don’t have many Nats around.”

In addition to exercising their democratic duty, voters could also enjoy democracy sausages as part of the Anglican church’s fundraiser.

Reverend Richard Pennington was thrilled with how the morning was progressing.

“It’s important for us as a fundraiser to enable us to operate within the community… and to continue our work as a church because we don’t get funding from anywhere else,” he said.

“It’s a great atmosphere and warm day, and we’re all out and about doing stuff.”