A federal election candidate says he will fight for his community and housing affordability if he is successful in his quest to become the next Wannon MP.
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Independent federal election candidate for Wannon Alex Dyson hosted a 'party-free party' on Warrnambool's Civic Green on Saturday with live music by Australian artist Gretta Ray.
He said it was a really positive day and showed that "politics doesn't have to be as dishonest and inaccessible as it currently is".
"It can get so negative," Mr Dyson said. "It's the do anything to win ethos that I find really difficult to stomach. It's the source of a lot of issues in Wannon, not only the lack of funding in Wannon, because they're trying to win by putting our money elsewhere to win a vote, I find that really frustrating, but it's also the back room deals."
He said there was a desperate need for social housing and for more affordable and accessible housing for all community members.
"I really want to be the candidate for housing and put that at the top of my list because it is so unsustainable the way we're going," Mr Dyson said. "House prices in Mortlake went up 63 per cent in the last 12 months.
"I was talking to a homelessness worker and they said there's a humanitarian crisis out there. Fifty per cent of people looking for a home are fleeing violence in Western Victoria - from Geelong to the border."
"We're hitting some dire straights and it's symptomatic and really sad that we don't have a national homelessness plan."
Warrnambool resident Paul Barker said he heard Mr Dyson on the radio this week and was "quite impressed, enough to encourage me to come down here".
"Wherever's there's been an election I've always wanted to make it more marginal and reduce that margin," Mr Barker said. "I just don't think it's fair."
Warrnambool's Sandra Maguire said she "wasn't heavily into politics whatsoever" but came along to see what Dyson stood for.
"He's actually standing up for what he believes and he's willing to put himself out there, because it's a pretty dirty game, politics," Ms Maguire said. "It's his face on the posters but it's not about him, it's about the community.
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