Mr Pappin says that the constituents of Farrer are apathetic about the current choice of candidates and that they need to be provided with an option that includes an Independent who knows the district and its issues.
A former shearer turned public servant, Mr Pappin has worked extensively in the remote areas of Farrer in rangelands conservation, water management and cultural heritage.
He says the regional parts of Farrer have been forgotten by major parties and that Labor's decision not to run a candidate in Farrer is heartbreaking for democracy.
Gary Pappin is no stranger to politics. He is a current councillor with the Murray River Council and has sat on numerous national and research committees.
In the past he has represented Australia at the United Nations (UNESCO) for World Heritage and he was instrumental in the establishment of the Living Murray initiative for the Murray-Darling Basin.
“Politics is not about self-inflation, peacockery, or personal financial gain, but rather about listening to constituents needs and bringing them to the table,” Mr Pappin said.
“Members of Parliament are conduits for society and there needs to be stronger representation for country issues because it is the country that feeds Australia and enables it to grow.”
Mr Pappin said the key issues for this campaign are water management, national security and the cost-of-living crisis.
He is a mad supporter of both the Richmond and Albury Tigers AFL teams and says he looks forward to a scratch match between the two teams.