Community
30 April, 2025
Historic win?
MOMENTUM for change is building in south west Victoria, with Independent candidate for Wannon Alex Dyson hoping momentum is on his side as he looks to a historic result this weekend.
Recent polling has shown growing support for electing an Independent MP, with YouGov indicating 51-56 per cent of Wannon voters will place Alex Dyson above Dan Tehan on their ballots.
The Dyson campaign has seen more than 1000 volunteers traverse the region to knock on 21,000 doors, with over 1600 individual donors and 3000 supporters backing his bid for election.
If Mr Dyson is elected this weekend, it will mark the first time in 70 years the Liberal Party has been unseated in Wannon.
“This campaign is being driven by local people across Wannon, with over 1000 volunteers now working tirelessly to bring positive change to our region,” he said.
“I’ve been speaking to people at early voting centres across the electorate for the last week, and there is a real mood for change.
“People are tired of being neglected by the major parties, and they support our plans to fix roads, tackle the cost-of-living, and improve local childcare, healthcare, and aged care services.
“Voters are telling me they are excited about the idea of electing a community-backed Independent, who can work with whoever is in government to get what our region needs.”
Maureen O’Keefe, one of Alex’s former teachers at Warrnambool College, is one of the volunteers saying she had known Alex since he was in Year 7 and was proud of the person he has become.
“I'm very proud of the man he is – he’s always been a genuinely interested and engaged young man, who was amongst the six leaders in Year 12 – he was inclusive, collaborative and fair,” she said.
“I taught at Warrnambool College and coordinated the Year 12 group that Alex was in and I saw firsthand his leadership qualities. He was also the male Dux of that year.
“He's local and has been absolutely listening to locals in his campaign.
“I've joined Alex’s 1000 volunteers because I want to see true representation for Wannon and Alex can deliver that.”
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