The Australian Federation Party is one of the minor parties putting forward a candidate for the seat of Ballarat in this month's federal election.
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Kerryn Sedgman, a resident of Wheatsheaf - north-east of Daylesford - will represent the newly-named AFP on the Ballarat ticket. The party was formerly known as the Country Alliance and the Australian Country Party.
She has lived within the electorate for the past 12 years, has a background in kinesiology and myotherapy and before the pandemic was running retreats on her five-acre property.
"I became a bit disenchanted with the COVID-19 response from all leaders," she said.
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"I felt the need to get involved."
These last few weeks have been a whirlwind for her as she stepped into politics for the first time.
Ms Sedgman was speaking to another AFP candidate asking what she could do to help them for Ballarat.
She was told there was not a candidate and that she should think about running.
"I thought 'is he insane?'," she said.
"It gave me a shock, but I could not stop thinking about it. I had to go home and have a big think."
She was planning to be at home spending time writing, a political campaign was not on her radar.
After three weeks she thought "this is my moment, just give it a go".
And so her name was in the running.
Ms Sedgman said what she liked the most about the minor parties were their "non-adversarial approach".
"We all have the same outcome but are getting there in different ways," she said.
"It has been very interesting, very busy and very wonderful."
Ms Sedgman said she was concerned about the vaccination mandates and believed it was a key election issue.
Currently more than 95 per cent of residents in Ballarat have had two COVID-19 vaccine doses and 78.4 per cent have had a third booster, one of the highest rates in the state.
She said working with people outside of the Ballarat CBD was important to her.
"What I really feel passionate about is working with the towns, I want to hear the regional voices," Ms Sedgman said.
"My job is not about me, it is about the people and the small regional communities."
She thinks the climate and sustainability issues are at the forefront for the seat, including the Western Victorian Transmission Network Project.
"Our foodbowl is important, I am still a bit naive, I can not separate the state and federal issues if it is affecting the people," Ms Sedgman said.
The powerline is a project commissioned by the AMEO, the federal regulator, and is currently awaiting Environmental Effects Statement approval from the state and federal governments.
This issue was spoken about at the first federal election candidate forum organised by Ballarat Renewable Energy and Zero Emission.
"In my opinion, they (candidates) just didn't seem to have an answer," Ms Sedgman said.
She also highlighted immediate climate action was important.
"We all know about it but what can we do without feeling helpless?" Ms Sedgman said.
"I want to know why the end user is being blamed when it is a top-down issue. Why are the corporations not being held responsible? Where are the climate forums with the businesses?
"It is not about me, I want to be an authentic representative and see how we can move the community forward."
Also standing will be incumbent Catherine King, from the ALP, the Liberals' Ben Green, the United Australia Party's Terri Pryse-Smith, the Greens' John Barnes, the Liberal Democrats' Julia McGrath, and One Nation's Rosalie Taxis.
The election will be held on May 21, early voting starts from this Monday May 9.
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