It was probably only a matter of time before the Voices movement spread to the Ovens Valley state electorate.
Since its initial success with Cathy McGowan in the federal seat of Indi, which has continued under current federal MP Dr Helen Haines who extended her margin at the last election, the Independent movement based on the original Voice model has flourished across the country, particularly in Victoria and NSW.
But that has been more so in federal metro electorates rather than rural electorates like ours.
Tammy Atkins secured more than 19 per cent of the primary vote back in 2018, to be the most successful Independent candidate here, but that's a long way off sitting member Tim McCurdy's 52 per cent.
Ovens Valley and its precursor Murray Valley, have only ever had Nationals MPs (or MPs under the party's former Country Party and National Party brands) and although the conservative brand seems under mounting pressure in the polls from the even more conservative One Nation, that does not seem to be to the same extent in Victoria as it is in NSW and Queensland.
There is no doubt that the current state Labor Victorian government is under pressure in the polls, particularly in the rural seats, so its unlikely they will play a major role here in the next state election.
Whether there is the same mood for change in this electorate to threaten the Nationals is yet to be seen.
However, if a suitable candidate does step forward it will give voters more choice and, for a healthy democracy, that has to be a good thing.
