Bringing an end to the "hysteria" around COVID-19 and climate change are two of the key goals for an outspoken candidate putting his name forward for the seat of Riverina in the upcoming federal election.
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Temora resident Dean McCrae has been named the Liberal Democrats candidate and will be officially launching his campaign at a ceremony held at the Riverine Club in Wagga on Wednesday.
Among those attending the launch are some of the nation's most prominent opponents to COVID vaccines and vaccination mandates, including Tumut paramedic John Larter, United Australia Party leader Craig Kelly and former Outsiders host Ross Cameron.
Several other Liberal Democrats candidates will also attend, as well as Simeon Boikov, a far-right agitator nicknamed "the Aussie Cossack" who once described Australia as an enemy state.
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On social media, the Liberal Democrats described the attendees as Mr McCrae's "friends of liberty".
The event will be a chance for Mr McCrae to introduce himself and his policies to residents across the region for the first time since his recent return to Temora.
The former chef, courier driver and pest control expert has been a member of the Liberal Democrats for 12 years.
He said the first port of call for his campaign was slowing down coronavirus "mania" and adopting a more casual approach to the pandemic.
"We understand yes, there are some health concerns and it is important for people to take necessary steps to protect themselves, but we think there is a far less hysterical approach to managing COVID," he said.
Mr McCrae has not received any COVID vaccine and said he didn't think it would have made "any difference whatsoever" to the pandemic if no Australians had been vaccinated.
Pulling back the government's influence over the lives of Australians is also a key aim for the self-described libertarian.
"I think we need the government involved in our day-to-day lives as little as possible," he said.
"I also want to see the government be much more fiscally conservative than what they have been."
Mr McCrae also said he was firmly against net-zero carbon emission targets.
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