SHOOTERS Fishers and Farmers candidate for the seat of Eden-Monaro mightn't live it the electorate, but Matthew Stadtmiller says he's got a lot in common with those who do.
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"They're just from country towns about the same size as the country town that I grew up in," he said.
"It's easy to talk to other country people, I'm just a fellow who was born in the country."
On Monday, Mr Stadtmiller was announced as the SFF candidate for the July 4 byelection and he said he is a viable option of being elected.
His home town of Harden, located 20 kilometres outside the north-west boundary of the electorate, is more than 450 kilometres from the other side of Eden-Monaro, but the distance and the electorate's 41,617 square kilometres doesn't phase the candidate.
"I've heard concerns from people in Yass that they've been neglected when the member's lived on the middle of the coastal side," Mr Stadtmiller said.
"It's just getting in the car and doing the kilometres and getting to those places.
"It is quite a vast electorate ... it's something that is manageable for the member if they're willing to get in and do the kilometres."
Mr Stadtmiller, who has been a councillor with Hilltops Council since 2012, said there was a "possibility" he would move into Eden-Monaro if he was elected.
"That's definitely a possibility, but we have to win it first and there's a lot of hard work to go in the next 33 days," he said.
It is quite a vast electorate ... it's something that is manageable for the member if they're willing to get in and do the kilometres.
- Shooters Fishers and Farmers candidate Matthew Stadtmiller
Mr Stadtmiller will remain in his role as a councillor until the byelection and then, depending on the result, will decide whether to stand down or not.
He has already been a SFF candidate twice, including during the 2019 state election for the seat of Cootamundra and in the 2017 Cootamundra byelection.
Still eager to be a voice for country people, he said the biggest issues facing Eden-Monaro right now are bushfire recovery, drought and mental health, along with an upgrade to the Barton Highway.
"We're [SFF] just trying to be a loud and viable voice for the area and a viable option away from the two major parties," he said.
"We've proven in Western NSW at a state level that we can pick up three seats and we're being represented by three very competent members of parliament, and we've got two people in the upper house.
"People are starting to know more about us [SFF] and put their support behind us."