Confirmed as the candidate on Tuesday, Mr Hendrie also contested the 2025 Farrer election and garnered 4.9 per cent of the vote.
As a person with lived mental health experience, he is an award-winning advocate and expert in mental health reform and suicide prevention.
He is a long-standing advocate for a new single-site regional hospital for Albury-Wodonga, alongside fellow Albury-based Greens representative and state parliamentarian Dr Amanda Cohn MLC, and Councillor Geoff Hudson.
Independent Michelle Milthorpe is also a strong campaigner for a new Albury hospital, but has this week also supported proposals for a new Deniliquin Hospital (see Letter to the Editor, page 10).
Ms Milthorpe points out that investment at the regional level would take pressure off Albury, and ensure its investment can meet needs into the future.
The Greens campaign also lists the other big ticket items of other parties, like housing and energy needs.
“Australia is one of the richest countries in the world, and the level of access to essential services like health care in Farrer is simply not acceptable,” Mr Hendrie said this week.
“I’m able to thrive after living with severe mental illness because of the quality of care and support I’ve received. This should be available to everyone.
“Whether we’re talking about housing, essential services or agriculture, the people of Farrer can see that our system has been rigged for the benefit of major corporations and billionaires like Gina Rinehart.
“It’s never been more urgent for our region to be more self-sufficient and less reliant on fossil fuels and energy imports. Rural communities in Farrer have so much to gain from leading and providing renewable energy for the nation.
“Proposals to further reduce immigration will stifle the broader economy, split families apart, and hit rural communities in Farrer dependent on skilled migrant workers the hardest.”
The Liberals are still yet to advise of the status of their candidate selection process, and the Sustainable Australia Party has announced it is “considering” standing a candidate.
Other confirmed candidates to date are One Nation’s David Farley, Brad Robertson from The Nationals and Rebecca Scriven representing Family First. Nominations are open until April 13.
21°C