One Nation’s Allan Hicken, pictured with South Gippsland Mayor Mohya Davies and campaign manager Alexandria Horvath, says
he’s just a blue collar worker who wants the best for his kids.
By Catherine Watson
WHEN the Post phones One Nation’s Allan Hicken, he’s sitting under a tree in Foster with Lexie, his friend and campaign manager, taking a break before hitting the hustings again.
Monash is a massive electorate – over 8000 square kilometres and 130 kilometres from end to end – with scores of towns, small and large, and so many different issues. As a newbie candidate with minimal support or resources, Allan Hicken is doing the best he can to cover the territory.
“Come election day I’m probably going to have the arse hanging out of me pants,” he says philosophically.
WHEN the Post phones One Nation’s Allan Hicken, he’s sitting under a tree in Foster with Lexie, his friend and campaign manager, taking a break before hitting the hustings again.
Monash is a massive electorate – over 8000 square kilometres and 130 kilometres from end to end – with scores of towns, small and large, and so many different issues. As a newbie candidate with minimal support or resources, Allan Hicken is doing the best he can to cover the territory.
“Come election day I’m probably going to have the arse hanging out of me pants,” he says philosophically.
He grew up at Callignee, trained as a fitter and turner at the power station, travelled Australia on projects before returning to the Valley to live and work. Until October he didn’t take too much notice of politics. “I’m just a blue collar worker who wants the best for my kids. But the world’s changing at a very fast rate. My kids aren’t going to have the same opportunities I had when I was growing up.”
The crunch came for him on October 15 when the Victorian Government introduced its vaccine mandate for authorised workers. “I’m very concerned about how it was done. A lot of blokes were shaken up. It was just before Christmas. I decided to stay with the blokes and refused to get it.
“I was forced to leave because of the vaccine mandate. I’m not an anti-vaxxer, I just questioned why many of the safety practices that had kept us safe through the pandemic were no longer enough. There was only one option.”
The crunch came for him on October 15 when the Victorian Government introduced its vaccine mandate for authorised workers. “I’m very concerned about how it was done. A lot of blokes were shaken up. It was just before Christmas. I decided to stay with the blokes and refused to get it.
“I was forced to leave because of the vaccine mandate. I’m not an anti-vaxxer, I just questioned why many of the safety practices that had kept us safe through the pandemic were no longer enough. There was only one option.”
| As the sole income earner for his family, the job loss hit hard. He hasn’t found another job. The vaccine mandate prompted him to stand for One Nation, but it wasn’t the only reason. “Like a lot of people I’ve lost faith in the two major parties. They’re doing shonky stuff. They say one thing and you look over there and they’re doing something else. “They’re becoming further detached from what’s in our best interests. We need to bring back Aussie values and common sense. The two parties aren’t doing it. So I put my hand up to try and change things.” This is the first time he’s joined a political party, let alone stand for one, but he’s warmed to One Nation for a while. “The two big parties seem to just say whatever the people want to hear. I like anyone who gets up and says their piece. That wins them points in my book. I think there’s a lot of honesty coming out of One Nation. Since I’ve been in this role and seen what’s going on, I really believe they’re almost our last hope.” | Three top issues
Preferences
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Take climate change. “Overseas countries are building new power stations while we’re shutting them down. We should be building a low emissions power station so the bills come down and we have more reliable baseload power.”
Every One Nation candidate is self-funding and self-campaigning. He’s been using the last of his own money. Lexie (Alexandria Horvath) is his campaign manager. Apart from her it’s just family and friends.
He’s pleased with the response he’s getting on the road. He’s already called into Dumbalk that day. “I had a lovely chat with Gordon who’d sent me a lot of in-depth questions. And I spoke to a parents’ group in Toora. Housing is a big issue and health care is another. They find it really hard to get appointments because the medical centre is short-staffed.
“You’ve got the Government handing out cash in some electorates but the small rural towns have been overlooked.”
He told the Toora parents that under the One Nation policy, doctors and nurses who practise in a rural area for three years after they finish their training will have their university fees refunded.
How does he rate his chances on May 21?
“I think my chances are good. I’m not a quitter. I’m betting on myself. Everyone’s starting to realise they do have a say. I think my point of view will resonate with a lot of people. ‘He’s a fitter and turner, he’s one of us …”
Every One Nation candidate is self-funding and self-campaigning. He’s been using the last of his own money. Lexie (Alexandria Horvath) is his campaign manager. Apart from her it’s just family and friends.
He’s pleased with the response he’s getting on the road. He’s already called into Dumbalk that day. “I had a lovely chat with Gordon who’d sent me a lot of in-depth questions. And I spoke to a parents’ group in Toora. Housing is a big issue and health care is another. They find it really hard to get appointments because the medical centre is short-staffed.
“You’ve got the Government handing out cash in some electorates but the small rural towns have been overlooked.”
He told the Toora parents that under the One Nation policy, doctors and nurses who practise in a rural area for three years after they finish their training will have their university fees refunded.
How does he rate his chances on May 21?
“I think my chances are good. I’m not a quitter. I’m betting on myself. Everyone’s starting to realise they do have a say. I think my point of view will resonate with a lot of people. ‘He’s a fitter and turner, he’s one of us …”