Prime Minister Scott Morrison has announced that a Federal Election will be held on May 18, 2019.
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Here is the list of the seven candidates confirmed for the electorate of Ballarat.
Animal Justice Party - Bryn Hills
A music teacher at Ballarat High School, Mr Hills is a relative newcomer to political campaigning. He stood for the seat of Wendouree in the state elections last year where he gained 3.46 per cent of the vote.
He says: "No one likes animal cruelty. But it's hidden away and not part of the political process, in many ways it's not front page news.
"What we're trying to do is make it more part of the narrative so people are aware of it, so more can be done to improve the lives of everyone concerned."
Greens Party - Karen McAloon
Ms McAloon has a Diploma of Applied Science in Hotel Management and spent some time working in the hospitality industry. After gaining qualifications in disability studies she started to teach in the not-for-profit sector, and has worked as a trainer with jobseekers, homelessness people and refugees. She has also worked as a human rights advocate for people with disabilities.
Ms McAloon is based in Hepburn with her husband and two teenage sons and runs the Overwrought Gallery and Sculpture Garden on the Midland Highway at Blampied.
Read The Courier's profile of Karen McAloon's from The Courier.
Independent - Nick Shady
Describing himself as a "conservative with a social conscience", Mr Shady is a Ballarat-based grain grower. He says his politics are a mixture from both sides of the political spectrum - and he is standing as an independent as he doesn't "want to be ringing someone at head office asking if I can say this or that."
He says he would like to see a halt on immigration to Australia until infrastructure has caught up with the population. He also believes Australia has lost control of its natural resources. He stands on a platform of lobbying to ban coal and gas exports, stop offshore gas and oil exploration and investigate why foreign-owned companies pay so little tax.
Independent - Alex Graham
One of the more colourful candidates contesting this year's federal election in Ballarat, Mr Graham describes himself as an interdependent candidate. Although not a novice to the electoral process, he has left a long time in between campaigns, last standing in 1996 when he gained a total of 170 votes.
It was a book that inspired him to throw his hat back into the ring, a book that he says will revolutionise an economic model that is failing us all.
Labor Party - Catherine King
The incumbent MP has held the Ballarat seat since 2001. She would become the longest serving MP in the history of the Ballarat electorate if re-elected this time. Currently she serves as the shadow minister for health and defeated the 2016 Liberal candidate Sarah Wade with a swing of 2 per cent. She has previously worked as Minister for Regional Services and Minister for Road Safety, and was a cabinet minister for a short time prior to the defeat of the Labor Party in the 2013 federal election.
Before moving into politics, Ms King was a social worker and research officer.
Liberal Party - Timothy Vo
Mr Vo, 22, says his greatest passion is rural education and he is basing his campaign on the Liberal Party's record on the economy. He is currently studying for a Bachelor of Education at Federation University, but has put his studies on hold while campaigning. A supporter of the Ballan Blues football team, he is also a trainer and a first-aider and has helped disadvantaged students improve their learning.
United Australia Party - Peter Cozyn
Representing the Clive Palmer-funded United Australia Party, Peter Cozyn is a businessman and engineer, who says he supports farmers as well as the need for a fast train in Ballarat.
He has a masters degree in computing and has worked for big companies such as IBM, Telstra and Hewlett Packard.
National Party - no candidate
The National Party is not standing a candidate in Ballarat for the 2019 election. The Courier has asked the Nationals why they have chosen not to put anyone forward and will update this page as soon as we know.
Want to know where to vote, how to vote? Read everything Ballarat voters need to know about the Federal Election.
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