Mick Holton, from Dry Plains in the Snowy Mountains region, was a full-time firefighter in Sydney before moving to the mountains, where he took a position with the RFS. Dissatisfied with the bureaucracy in the organisation, he left the position and now "stands up for the rights of volunteers," which, he says, are the backbone of the service.

According to Holton, the SF&F Party is "picking up where the Nationals have dropped the ball," with regards to representing farmers and people in rural areas. He is frustrated with what he calls the "extremes" in politics, which, he says, doesn't achieve much. "Compromise is sustainable," he said.

"If you were to ask me if I am in favour of renewable energy, I would say yes, of course. But I wouldn't be in favour of turning off all our coal plants tomorrow because we're just not at the point where we can do that. We need targets to work towards and good balance in the meantime."

Holton believes that the Nationals no longer represent rural areas because "they are too steered by the Sydney Liberals and they're not listening to the needs of rural people." 

He points to the forced council mergers as an example, saying, "council mergers are not successful and they've left rural people picking up the tab for bigger centres."

He sees land management as being the crucial issue facing rural areas. "We need to look to things like Indigenous burning and things like that. We can learn from Indigenous land management."

Holton is opposed to aerial culling of brumbies in the national park, but agrees that there needs to be some means of control. "Is it the horse that's the problem, or the numbers?" he questions, adding that the national parks are not sufficiently resourced to manage the land.

Mick Holton will be campaigning at the Braidwood Show next week.