20,000 kilometres recorded on day 182 of campaign
Mathew Dickerson well on track to delivering campaign promise
He promised to visit every locality in the electorate and independent candidate, Mathew Dickerson, isn’t shying away from the challenge having clocked up 20,000 kilometres by day 182 of his campaign.
Mr Dickerson made that promise on 22 May of this year as he announced his endeavour to become the voice of the Dubbo electorate come the state election in 2019.
To date Mr Dickerson has visited and met with people in 48 per cent of those 131 localities across the 17,352.89 square kilometre electorate. From Dandaloo in the west to Kains Flat in the East; Eurimbla in the South to Bundemar in the North; he is gradually ticking off the list in a face-to-face fashion to learn how people of the electorate want to be represented.
Mr Dickerson ticked over 10,000km on 30 August taking 100 days for the first milestone but over the last 82 days he has averaged 122km of travel per day to notch up the next milestone even faster. During this campaign, he has held close to 1,000 meetings, sometimes with just one person and at other times he has delivered a presentation to a group of almost 100 people.
Mr Dickerson has met with people in 63 localities so far. Publicans from Ballimore to Cooyal and Goolma; volunteers in museums in Gulgong and Wellington and Narromine; he has sat in homes from Apple Tree Flat to Wuuluman; met with families from Avisford to Windeyer. He has visited the hills of Hargraves and the grasslands of Gollan; he has seen the homes in Home Rule and the sun in Suntop; he has spent time with greyhounds in St Fillans and miners in Tomingley. Mr Dickerson has launched events from cricket tournaments to short films; set up stands at markets in Narromine, Wellington, Mudgee and Dubbo; spoken at events organised by Chambers of Commerce, CWAs, Men’s Sheds, CPSAs, Probus groups and recited poetry at aged care facilities, festivals and all the way to the Henry Lawson museum.
“I don’t need to order an expensive phone robopoll to find out what people are thinking,” Mr Dickerson said.
“Since my announcement in May this year, I have spent my time talking with people across the electorate either individually or in small groups to find out what matters to them.
“This is an old-fashioned authentic method of finding out what really matters to the people in this electorate.
“I will continue to travel the electorate right up until the election and then, if I am elected, I promise that I will continue to travel the electorate to continue to communicate with people across the entire electorate. This is no less than the people of this electorate deserve.”