Benambra Greens candidate Luke Brady flags housing, climate change as concerns amid Beechworth campaign launch

Luke Brady was speaking to The Border Mail following the launch of his bid at plant and coffee shop, the Beechworth Conservatory, on Sunday afternoon.

"We're optimistic, we know we're starting from a low base but I think some of the polling and the last (federal) election shows people do favour progressive politics," Mr Brady said.

With a low-profile candidate, the Greens vote dropped 5 per cent at the last Benambra election to 3.78.

However, unlike 2018, former Greens member and ex-Indigo Shire mayor Jenny O'Connor will not be standing as an Independent in next month's Benambra poll.

Mr Brady grew up at Mornington before graduating with engineering and commerce degrees from Monash University.

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He moved to Beechworth after landing a job as asset manager at the Wangaratta office of Beyond Housing three years ago.

The 42 year-old has since become engineering manager at Brown Brothers winery at Milawa, but his experience in the housing sector has helped drive a passion to improve residential life.

"You just see the need and it's certainly there in the region," Mr Brady said.

"There are really long waiting lists and the unaffordability of rental accommodation is a real problem, owning your own home is a distant dream for many people."

Mr Brady's other central concern is climate change.

"We need to take more drastic action than what's been committed to date," he told around 25 supporters at his launch.

In reply to comments from an onlooker applauding the Greens for being clear supporters of government schools, Mr Brady said: "The private school doesn't need a second gymnasium, the public school needs adequate facilities."

Mr Brady joined the Greens after being frustrated at the Labor and Liberal parties asylum seeker policies.

Also at Mr Brady's launch was the lead candidate for the Greens in the Upper House seat of Northern Victoria, Cate Sinclair, an occupational therapist from the Castlemaine district.

She also visited Yackandandah, Chiltern and Wodonga at the weekend.

The Greens have also selected candidates for the lower house seats of Ovens Valley and Euroa.

Former Mount Beauty Secondary College student Zoe Kromar will contest the former and James Bennett the latter.

Ms Kromar, 22, lives in Beechworth and is working in the hospitality sector before undertaking a university degree.

She has been a vegetarian since birth and opposes the Melbourne Cup on animal cruelty grounds.

The Labor Party is still to name candidates for Benambra and Ovens Valley with its website, listing contenders in seats across Victoria, having "vacant" written in lieu of a nominee.

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