FORMER bull rider and rodeo proprietor Rod Caddies and Shire of Katanning Deputy President and local business owner Craig McKinley are in the box seat to stand for One Nation at the upcoming WA election, in the Agricultural Region.
Both candidates have indicated interest in running for the Legislative Council but One Nation leader and founder Pauline Hanson holds the whip-hand on the final call.
Senator Hanson is set to announce final candidate positions during her visit to WA today for the party’s campaign launch.
Recent voter polling and historical performance suggests One Nation will perform better in regional WA than metropolitan Perth, allowing it to take a sharper a focus on winning Upper House seats while trying to disrupt the traditional grip of the Liberals and Nationals.
One Nation WA leader Colin Tincknell has already indicated the surging political force could win two Agricultural Region positions and one or two each, in the Mining and Pastoral and South West regions.
“We can get rid of the Nationals in a couple of elections,” he said earlier this month.
Mr Tincknell has been mentioned as a potential replacement for disqualified WA federal Senator and ex-Williams farmer Rod Culleton - but his services are likely to be preferred to guide the state campaign and potentially spearhead the South West region ticket.
Mr Caddies and Mr McKinley told Fairfax Media they had strong farming ties but rather than making big promises they plan to use the campaign period leading into polling day on March 11, to tour regional WA and collect direct voter feedback.
“Hopefully we hold the balance of power and we’ve got more control and we can hopefully influence more decisions to accommodate our region,” Mr McKinley said.
“Once the candidates are announced we want to hit the ground running and get out and listen to the people.
“I think people are starting to look for alternatives to the major parties because they are not really delivering what the people want and that’s where One Nation comes in.
“We listen to the people and we take on board what they have to say and we do our best to help them out – that’s the difference.”
Mr Caddies said he had a good felling about One Nation’s election chances given they would field strong candidates for the upper and lower house.
“I think we’re going to do very strongly in all areas and in all of the Upper House seats, especially the Agricultural Region,” he said.
“On Thursday, if my name pops up as the candidate for the Agricultural Region, I want to get out on the road for the next six or seven weeks and meet as many people as I can so they can stand in front of me, face to face, and decide if they believe in me and if they believe in what I’ve got to offer.
“Farmers are a big part of the Agricultural Region obviously but it’s also about the people who live in the community but lack services in many areas, like health, education and infrastructure.
“I love this country with a passion in the same way that I love my rodeo with a passion and will do everything within my means as a person to leave a positive legacy for my children so they get to experience something close to the country that I grew up in and love.”
Mr Caddies is 45 years old and married with three children aged 12, 10 and 18-months.
He lives in Middle Swan but was born in regional Queensland and moved to WA aged four where he lived and worked on dairy and vegetable farms in the south-west.
He has also served in the army reserves and spent 15 years working at the WA Department for Child Protection in Western Australia and after starting as a bull rider branched out to build his own rodeo company running events throughout regional WA.
His bull riding pursuits have led to numerous broken bones over the years but he had to relinquish his passion for riding after breaking his pelvis.
“I had plates and screws inserted to put that back together and couldn’t ride any more so with my background decided to put my own rodeo together,” he said.
Mr Caddies said mental strength needed to endure the rough and tumble of bull riding and managing the internal politics that goes with running rodeos has helped prepare him for politics.
“Being a bull rider I’m well and truly used to the physical pain and that’s no longer a worry to me but you do need mental and psychological strength to be able to get back on a bull continuously when you’ve been bashed around with broken bones,” he said.
“The emotional intelligence has to be there, knowing that you’re going to be injured, but you also need to have a strong mindset to be able to operate on a bull and think clearly.
“I work pretty well under pressure.”
Based in Katanning, Mr McKinley runs a retail clothing store selling anything from suits to surf wear and is married with four children.
His wife’s family has a strong farming presence in the district and those deep roots motivated a move to the country from the city, six years ago.
He grew up in Fremantle and worked for 23 years in commercial shipping before moving to Katanning so his young family could be closer to an extensive network of relatives and cousins and to enjoy the country life style.
“We get plenty of feedback from the family about what’s happening in the farming world,” he said.
But why politics?
Mr McKinley said after moving to Katanning he became involved with local issues and nominated for council - winning election in 2013 - which gave him a taste for political representation and prosecuting public policy which he now wants to take to state level.
“I’ve always been a One Nation supporter so it was a great match for me,” he said.
Mr McKinley said he supported One Nation’s opposition to foreign investment in agriculture.
“We want to keep Australia for Australia that’s the idea – we don’t want too much foreign ownership of our land so we can maintain control; it’s as simple as that,” he said.
Mr Caddies said he had been running rodeos throughout the Agricultural Region and had many friends including bull riders and ropers but also people in that community who come and watch the shows.
He said he also lived on 10 acres and while “that’s not really a farm” his family was being raised on the land and also run a riding school which is his wife’s area of expertise.
Mr Caddies also confirmed One Nation had gained official party registration this week.
Ms Hanson is set to launch he party’s campaign with about 45 candidates on the steps of Parliament House at about 11am.
Her tour of the state will also include a regional trip to Bunbury and Brunswick Junction to look at issues with salinity and return to Perth via Wellington Dam, Collie and Wagin.