The independent candidate for Benambra’s hub on the corner of Hume and Lawrence streets is just a kilometre from incumbent Bill Tilley’s office and the CFMEU shopfront where Labor candidate Mark Tait works.

But Ms Hawkins was confident her values will set her apart from her rivals.

“This has been a Liberal-held seat for a long time and it’s become quite evident that our voice has been lost in the Victorian state parliament,” she said.

“Today was a call to action for people to get involved and start talking about politics.”

Ms Hawkins discussed policies including supporting solar power, increasing affordability of childcare, and better funding health services and transport. 

“We’ve had Cathy McGowan at the federal level, and local governments really speaking out about it (the North East line), but at the state level there’s been a lot of finger-pointing and people don’t want that,” she said.

“That’s one of my key priorities, with health and education – I think Albury-Wodonga Health is a particular example, where the Victorian government had a poignant opportunity to match NSW funding and they didn’t.

“I think another issue in Corryong has been wild dogs and deer which is having such an impact.

“We need some practical action from the Victorian parliament to address those issues.

“I’m not bound by the party line and I think the party line has stopped some progressive policies occurring.”

Asked about the McKoy Street intersection, Ms Hawkins said more should have been done by Mr Tilley to prevent the “mess” there.

“It’s always easy to come out afterwards and say something is wrong, but there should have been community engagement and that’s what I want to bring; make sure people are connected with what’s happening,” she said.

Among the supporters of the ‘Make Benambra Matter’ campaign present on Saturday were Wodonga Councillor Kat Bennett and Ms McGowan.