WHILE the majority of the election focus is on the House of Representatives to determine government, half of the Senate has retired, making way for six new senators to be elected from each state, and one for the territories.

Two independent candidates from the south-west are running for the Senate to represent Victoria in the upcoming Federal Election.

Max Dicks

Thirty-one-year-old independent Max Dicks, although a resident of Melbourne, said he grew up not far from Warrnambool in Allansford, from the age of two to around 16.

“I lived in Port Fairy ‘til 18 then moved into Warrnambool proper for about a year,” he said.

Upon completing school, Mr Dicks travelled for nine months around England and Europe where he spent “all the money I had saved from milking cows since I was 15”, he said.

Although he studied at La Trobe University for a time, Mr Dicks eventually took up an apprenticeship and qualified as a locksmith, which is now his full-time vocation.

Mr Dick’s website home page said he is taking the route that is not the typical career path of a politician and is running his campaign with an agenda for parliamentary accountability and honesty.

In particular, Mr Dicks would like to see a Federal Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) set up.

“The most important thing to me in my life is other people,” he said.

“They are what bring me joy.

“I decided to get into the Senate because I care about others (and) because of that I've made myself care about politics.”

Mr Dicks said he is an outgoing, honest, and caring person and feels like this would be the best way to make a difference in the world.

"The values of the person you elect today shape how they will solve the problems of tomorrow,” he said.

“If there were more people like me in politics, I don't think I would feel the need to get involved.

“But alas, there is not.”

Mr Dicks said he is not deterred by the extensive travel required in the role, nor the prospect of all-night Senate sittings.

“I ask not for a lighter burden, but for broader shoulders,” he said.

This is his second tilt at a Senate position, having received 1207 first preference votes last time.

“And I am grateful for every one of them,” he said.

MAX Dicks. Photo: SUPPLIED.

Bernardine Atkinson

Dr Bernardine Atkinson was born in Gippsland and moved to Lake Bolac when she was 14 years old.

Dr Atkinson attained a PhD in ecology but has also undertaken post-doctoral studies in nuclear energy.

For the last few years, she has worked as a carer in Lake Bolac where she still lives and is able to keep a close eye on her elderly father.

She previously ran for a Senate position in the Northern Territory and once for the House of Representatives for the seat of Wannon in 2016.

“I drove to every little town and was shocked at the malaise …. with the obvious closure of shops, poor roads … bordering on destitution,” she said.

“However, people are valiantly doing their best.”

Dr Atkinson has previous experience in government, having served part of a term for the Ararat Rural City Council when appointed by default following the resignations of two councillors.

“Local government is starved of funding,” she said.

“It’s not right that their only resource is to increase rates.”

Dr Atkinson’s signature policy is nuclear power, a cause that she has championed for a long time now and as far as she’s concerned, is the answer to all Australia’s power needs.

She has published several books on the issue, one of which was published internationally.

She sent a copy of her book ‘Ecological sustainability and the nuclear power story; three letters to the Australia people’ to His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales.

“He responded in a type written letter and apologised for doing so but thanked me for my frank opinions,” she said.

Dr Atkinson is passionate about the world’s resource scarcity and said climate change is happening now.

“The world is fraught with famine, fire, floods and droughts which we can continue to anticipate – therefore we must - and to quote Winston Churchill - ‘galvanise’ as if we were at war,” she said.

Dr Atkinson said she would also be championing a voluntary national service scheme if elected to the Senate.

She said a national service could solve unemployment issues and welfare reliance.

"It's purposeful and it's inclusive," she said.

"If it's providing part time or full-time opportunities for anyone aged between 16 and 86, we would have a lot of people who would be willing to join.

"The best deterrent to war is preparedness. Building up a little bit of a home guard wouldn’t hurt Australia."

The 63-year-old said that if she was elected, she would work to unite the current "dysfunctional" political system.