Former Victorian Farmers Federation president Andrew Broad.
FORMER Victorian Farmers Federation president Andrew Broad has nominated for preselection for the Nationals.
The Bridgewater farmer hopes to contest the Federal Seat of Mallee vacated by Nationals MP John Forrest.
Mr Forrest, 63, retired from the role he had held for the past 20 years on Wednesday.
Mr Broad said he had been considering a move into politics for a while because he was disillusioned with the current state of politics.
“I have been watching what’s been going on in Parliament recently and it hasn’t been good,” he said.
“I am not a political animal. I am a farmer and from a country town and I really think Australia deserves better.
“It was one of those things to put up or shut up.”
The former president of the VFF for three years said his life experiences made him an excellent candidate to represent the Mallee electorate.
“I think I have something to offer,” Mr Broad said. “I’ve been running my farm for 15 years, I’ve had experience on boards and governance and with the VFF.
“I think when people look back on my time of the VFF they understand that I always had the people I was representing at heart and everything I did was in the best interest of them.”
He said he was unsure of his chances of winning preselection but thought he would be up against a few candidates.
“I have no idea but John’s been a very good local member and I imagine he would probably inspire many people to put their hand up.
“There are certainly no guarantees.”
The Mallee electorate stretches from Cohuna across to the South Australian border, encompassing the regional centres of Horsham, Swan Hill and Mildura.