Candidates in a key Liberal-held seat have locked horns over local issues as the incumbent MP faces fierce competition from a radio personality turned independent challenger.
Wannon, in Victoria's west, is being contested by former cabinet minister Dan Tehan, who has held the seat for 15 years, and rising independent Alex Dyson, who made his name as a popular Triple J host.
In the once-safe Liberal heartland electorate previously held by former prime minister Malcolm Fraser, Mr Tehan's margin has been whittled down to 3.8 per cent.
The state of dilapidated regional roads dominated proceedings in a spirited candidates forum Deakin University in Warrnambool on Wednesday.
A 2024 survey by RACV found that nearly two thirds of 7000 drivers polled said potholes and poor road conditions were the biggest safety issues on regional roads across the state.
"We were the government that delivered local road funding and community infrastructure projects," Mr Tehan told an audience of dozens of attendees.
"Now what happened? As soon as the Albanese Labor government got in, they took that away. We've said that we will reinstate that."
But Mr Dyson, spruiking his credentials as an independent who would keep major political parties honest, contended that "successive governments have spoken about road funding and yet here we are still with this problem".
Childcare shortages was also brought up in the debate as a critical issue impacting families with the candidates arguing urgent federal funding was needed.
The alliance, comprised of several southwest Victorian councils, has previously said the region is "riddled with childcare deserts" owing to a lack of staff and incentives for operators to open up centres to dispersed populations.
Rising cost of living featured heavily as a concern for voters, with some of the candidates, including Greens candidate Kate Gazzard, accusing the major supermarket chains for price-gouging.
