Brad Robertson, the Nationals candidate for the federal seat of Farrer, said voters are struggling under a severe cost-of-living crisis [1, 2].
The comments highlight the economic pressures facing regional Australia, where candidates are positioning financial stability as a primary driver for the upcoming by-election.
Robertson said that people in the Farrer electorate in New South Wales are currently facing significant hardships. He described the situation as a struggle for survival rather than a comfortable life [1, 2].
"People are just struggling at the moment … I believe they’re existing, not living," Robertson said [1].
The candidate said that regional areas often experience the impact of economic downturns more acutely than urban centers. He noted that the geography of the electorate plays a role in how these financial pressures are felt [1].
"We always feel the brunt much earlier than the cities," Robertson said [1].
Robertson has made the cost-of-living crisis a central pillar of his campaign as the seat heads toward the by-election [1, 2]. He said that the current economic environment has forced residents to prioritize basic needs over quality of life [1, 2].
The Farrer electorate is now focusing on these economic concerns as voters prepare to head to the polls [1, 2].
“"People are just struggling at the moment … I believe they’re existing, not living."”
The focus on cost-of-living issues in the Farrer by-election reflects a broader trend in Australian politics where regional economic disparity is becoming a critical electoral vulnerability. By framing the crisis as a divide between the cities and the country, the Nationals are attempting to consolidate regional support by positioning themselves as the only party attuned to the specific timing and intensity of rural financial hardship.
