Big name support for Leonard

Cathy McGowan, the woman credited with inspiring the current movement of independents has praised the campaign efforts of Deb Leonard, the Voices for Monash independent.

In 2013, Ms McGowan won the seat of Indi from the sitting Liberal member, becoming the first independent member for her electorate.

Her successful grassroots campaign has since been the template for independents across the country.

Speaking at a campaign rally on April 30 at the Warragul Country Club in support of Deb Leonard, Ms McGowan said that there is a growing wave of support around rural and regional communities to assist candidates who are not tied to the major parties.

“Here in Monash, Deb Leonard gives the electorate a genuine alternative to the major parties.  She is courageous, committed, intelligent, and above all, a good listener”, Ms McGowan said.

Ms McGowan said listening and talking to people is the key to community engagement, and the primary reason there has been a groundswell in support for community independents in recent elections.

“Monash is similar in many ways to the electorate of Indi which I had the pleasure of representing for six years from 2013. It is a largely rural electorate made up of some significant urban centres but also containing many smaller rural communities.

“The major parties tend to take seats that aren’t marginal for granted,” Ms McGowan said.

“If your electorate needs more than five per cent of the vote to change hands – as Monash does – then these electorates do not receive same level of funding as the small number of marginal seats that always seem to be the recipients of the grand promises.

“Winning is a state of mind. People need to believe that there is an alternative to the status quo, and when they do, it will build a level of excitement across the electorate not seen for decades.

“If the communities across the Monash electorate get behind Deb, then the people of Monash can shake the political establishment to the core.”