THE troubled North East train line and failure of Independent Cathy McGowan to fix it is a reason not to vote for Albury mayor Kevin Mack, the member for Farrer says.
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Sussan Ley has used a radio advertisement for her election campaign to retain Farrer for the Liberal Party to make the link.
She references Voices for Indi and Voices for Farrer which respectively have supported retiring MP Ms McGowan and Ms Ley's independent rival Mr Mack.
"Six years ago a Voices candidate promised to fix the North East rail line," Ms Ley tells listeners.
"Independents can promise many things but only governments can deliver."
Ms Ley's comment follows Ms McGowan vowing to fix the line, which has been plagued by track problems, mudholes and unreliable rolling stock, when she stood for Indi in 2013.
"If I'm elected I won't let this issue rest until the rail is working," Ms Gowan said during her bid to take the seat from Liberal member Sophie Mirabella.
Six years on and after two terms of Coalition government involving Ms Ley the railway is still subject to speed limits and the Australian Rail Track Corporation is undertaking $235 million worth of further work to improve the route.
In a farewell letter to constituents, Ms McGowan connected rail funding with her status as a non-aligned MP.
"I am proud that with your encouragement, we have demonstrated the value of independence in our Federal Parliament," Ms McGowan wrote.
"Independent representation has delivered great benefits including mobile phones, NBN, infrastructure, rail, education and social security."
Wodonga mayor and chairwoman of the North East Rail Corridor Group Anna Speedie has defended Ms McGowan, saying she was "instrumental" in organising meetings with then federal transport minister Darren Chester to secure the $235 million for an upgrade.
"Sussan Ley or none of her delegates ever attended North East corridor group meetings," Cr Speedie said.
"This has been going on for how many years and I've never heard her voice on this."
Ms McGowan's preferred successor Orange Independent Helen Haines told a Benalla election forum she felt major parties were using very fast trains as a diversion from the North East line's woes.
"I don't want to see us distracted by the big parties talking about high speed rail when we still haven't got our North East rail sorted out," Dr Haines said.
"Let's get the North East rail line sorted out, let's ensure that's completed."
Nationals Indi candidate Mark Byatt, who described himself as an ambassador and advocate for high speed rail, conceded "we need to get what we've got right for a start" but added "we can't afford" to stop planning for very rapid services.
Liberal Indi candidate Steve Martin nominated better rail services as one of three priorities, alongside roads and mobile phone coverage, in a letter to voters.