East Gippsland’s One Nation candidate for the upcoming Victorian state election, Steve Goodman, introduced himself to more than 60-70 party faithful at Club Eastwood last Thursday evening.
Mr Goodman got straight to the point, asking the supportive gathering to help identify strategic billboard and sign locations across the district ahead of the poll.
Outlining his local roots, Mr Goodman explained that while he was born on the banks of the Macalister River, he had worked as a civil contractor in Western Australia for the past 12 years before recently returning home to live in East Gippsland.
The core focus of Mr Goodman’s address was state government spending, targeting what he described as excessive waste and declaring his ambition to challenge government fiscal management by contesting the seat of East Gippsland.
He criticised state expenditure across emergency services funding, social programs and climate initiatives, drawing applause from the crowd.
Turning to local infrastructure and land use, Mr Goodman slammed the condition of regional roads and argued that flood overlays drawn by Melbourne planners were devaluing rural properties. He pledged that One Nation would work to remove flood overlays if elected to a position of power.
Fielding questions from the floor, Mr Goodman acknowledged he did not have immediate answers for every issue, reminding attendees that he was currently focused on listening to community concerns to help shape party policy.
Local pastoralist Trevor Caithness raised concerns over government intervention, stating that farm drains dug on his property over the past decade had recently been reclassified by authorities as natural waterways, imposing new regulatory hurdles on his business.
When asked about the proposed Fingerboards critical minerals project at Glenaladale near Lindenow, Mr Goodman said that while he supported mining in principle, he questioned whether the Glenaladale development was in the right location. He added that he supported the progression of the Stockman mine project near Benambra.
Further audience questions raised topics including bureaucratic accountability, economic support following the native timber industry closure, farmland acquisition, local drug and homelessness issues, a new hospital for Bairnsdale, and self-defence laws.
Responding to the broad range of topics, Mr Goodman noted he had only recently been endorsed and was actively gathering local input to guide his platform.
Retired local businessman Doug Richardson addressed the room toward the end of the meeting, stating there was a steep learning curve ahead but emphasising that One Nation offered a necessary political rebalance for the region.
