NATIONAL Party leader Michael McCormack has thrown some last-minute support behind Indi candidate Mark Byatt in the countdown to the federal election on Saturday.
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Mr McCormack made a flying visit to Wodonga yesterday to support Mr Byatt in one of two three-cornered contests in Victorian seats.
Before touching down in Wodonga, which included a late afternoon stint at the city's prepoll voting centre, the Riverina MP announced two major road projects including $400 million for the Milton-Ulladulla bypass in the key seat of Gilmore.
It is also a three-cornered contest following the retirement of Ann Sudmalis, who held the seat for the Liberalson a margin of 0.7 per cent.
The National Party candidate is Katrina Hodgkinson, who was formerly in the NSW parliament until retiring in 2017.
Mr McCormack then added to Parkes where the Nationals committed to building a $100 million bypass.
"He is reasonably well-known throughout the electorate, the North-East, given he has been in that regional development space," he said.
"You want by election day, grand final day, to spend every bit of energy you've got and I think Mark has done that.
"It is up to the voters and you look at polling in recent elections, the Victorian one aside, in NSW the pollsters got it wrong, also South Australia, Tasmania.
"You draw a little bit of comfort from that."
According to TAB, Mr Byatt is rated the outsider of the three-cornered contest with the Liberals and an independent at $19.
Liberal Steve Martin has firmed even more into a $1.47 favourite following the second visit to Indi in the space of eight days by Prime Minister Scott Morrison.
Independent, Helen Haines, is the second pick at $2.50.
The other three-cornered contest in Victoria involving a Liberal and independent as the main contenders is in Mallee, which was held by Andrew Broad until a messy exit from politics late last year.
Mr McCormack hoped to see a long-awaited start on the North-East rail upgrade.
"It just needs to get done," he said.
"It is $235 million of Liberal-Nationals federal money, but they are taxpayers dollars which need to be distributed wisely smartly."
