Mallee UAP candidate Stuart King on the challenges of the campaign trail

While meeting with constituents in Horsham on Thursday, Mr King said the race was reaching a second gear.

"Up until the election was called, there was a lot of people that just weren't really interested or engaged in the election," Mr King said.

"Since then we've had Easter school holidays and Anzac Day long weekend, and now... things are really starting to heat up and people are really starting to take an interest."

Like his fellow candidates, Mr King has hit the campaign trail; however, things can be challenging in Victoria's largest electorate.

"I've just been trying to get around the electorate as much as I can," The Swan Hill native said.

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"It's been quite difficult; it's a huge electorate, 83,000 square kilometres. I've been meeting with as many groups of people as I can meet with and individually as well."

Mr King has taken a level of absence in his role as a councillor for Swan Hill Rural City to campaign for Federal office.

The Mallee hopeful said the feedback he'd received on the road suggested that Mallee voters were looking for someone fresh.

"It's been really positive in terms of what we offer as a party," Mr King said.

"People are disenfranchised with the state of politics in the nation; they don't see differences between the two major parties. (People have said) that they basically represent the same thing, so people are looking for other options."

"Whether that's me, whether that's independent candidates or the other minority parties; people are genuinely taking things seriously."

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The United Australia Party has an appeal to some voters, according to the candidate.

"A lot of people understand and value the bigger picture of what's going on in Australia and the world and where we fit with all of that and their concern for their future," Mr King said.

"They're concerned for their families, they're concerned for their kids, their workmates. People are taking an interest in, and they're genuinely interested in what we've got to offer."

Horsham isn't alone in the issues faced across much of regional Australia.

"There's concerns about availability of workers for the job vacancies, the future of small business and where things are going," Mr King said.

"Housing shortages, material shortages for housing, and then builder shortages for actually building houses.

"I've met with nearly all of the local governments in the Mallee electorate... they're concerned about the future and how they're going to continue to afford to deliver the infrastructure and services that their ratepayers expect without rates going through the roof.

"Local governments are looking for a better funding model that secures their financial position into the future."

However, Mr King knows the limitations of political office.

"I can't be everything for everybody; I can't promise everything to everybody," Mr King said.

"All I can do is present who I am, what I believe in, what I value and that I'll be the best representative for Mallee that I can possibly be."

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