The Liberal incumbent and Albury mayor, who will vie for the seat of Farrer, held back-to-back press conferences on Friday morning and neither pulled any punches.

Cr Mack said Farrer had fallen off the federal radar on Ms Ley's watch and that he's "here to tell the big guys, it's game on".

VIDEO: KEVIN MACK ADDRESSES THE MEDIA BELOW:

"What has the current government provided for Farrer in the last 18 years? The answer is very little … 13 phone towers in 18 years. Wow. Farrer is safe isn't it? It's in safe hands … that's all I need to say," Cr Mack said.

Cr Mack said he would remain as Albury mayor for at least the next month because "it's important to maintain that connection with the ratepayers of Albury … (and) there are some big decisions to be made".

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But Ms Ley questioned that stance, saying it would be difficult to do both jobs justice in an electorate "that's almost as big as New Zealand".

"Anyone who puts themselves forward for public office deserves to be commended because everyone does this because they want Australia to be a better place to live, work and raise a family … (but) he's going to be a part-time candidate for much of the campaign and a part-time mayor," Ms Ley said.

VIDEO: SUSSAN LEY ADDRESSES THE MEDIA BELOW:

"He's going to give perhaps a month to his full-time candidacy across the electorate of Farrer, an electorate that's almost as big as New Zealand.

"I think the people of Albury would be quite right to question his commitment to them as their mayor and their civic leader.

"I think the people of Farrer would be well advised to question his commitment to them as their candidate."

More to come

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