It means voters in the electorate will not get the opportunity to become any more familiar with the Melbourne-based Gail Cholosznecki, who has a prior commitment.

Instead, Ms Cholosznecki will send campaign manager Zuvele Leschen to the Victorian Farmers Federation’s forum at Wangaratta on November 20.

Ms Leschen has defended her candidate’s non-appearance at the forum, saying if the VFF were to choose another date, she “might” be able to attend.

That may well be the case.

But from a voter’s perspective, it is difficult to imagine how a candidate who is a virtual stranger to the electorate she claims to want to represent would pass up any opportunity to win support.

Challenging Nationals MP Tim McCurdy, who is tipped to take the new seat with a margin of 19.2 per cent, is an enormous ask for anyone.

But it is a bad look for a Labor Party candidate to be a no-show at a pre-election forum, more so considering it will be hosted in the home town of Victorian Labor leader Daniel Andrews.