Council & Politics
5 July, 2026
Campaign office opens as Armstrong eyes Ripon
THE Nationals' candidate for Ripon, Jo Armstrong, has become the first candidate to establish a campaign office in Ararat leading to November’s election.
With just under five months until Victorians head to the polls, Ms Armstrong said having a physical presence in Ararat was about being accessible to the community.
"Ararat is my home community. It's important to have a base to work from," she said.
"I could do this from home, but that doesn't make me as accessible to people as having an actual campaign office. It's also a place where volunteers can come, as well as campaign staff."
Ms Armstrong said the countdown to the state election had well and truly begun as politicians ramp up their efforts to gain votes. "It's important people can see there's actually a space from which we are able to work and bring people together. People want to be part of change, there's a real appetite."
She said she was pleased to be operating from a locally owned building.
"It's great to be able to set up here. It's great to be able to be using a property that belongs to a local family as well who employ people locally, so it's all about keeping everything in the local economy as best we can."
While opening the office marked a milestone in the campaign, Ms Armstrong acknowledged there was plenty of work ahead.
"I want people to understand that in Ararat that whilst I might be out on the road, I'm still very much here."
Although it is her first time establishing her own campaign office, she said she had seen the benefits firsthand while volunteering during the federal election.
"I've been part of using a campaign office with Andrew Lethlean's campaign in the federal election last year when he ran for Bendigo," she said.
"So I could see the value of having a campaign office and having a space to work from because as we get closer we are setting up all the resources we need for pre-polling and then of course for polling day."
She hopes the office becomes more than just campaign headquarters.
"Hopefully a warm and welcoming place for people to be able to drop in and learn more about what the Nationals have got to offer and how we are fighting for regional Victoria and how I'm fighting for Ripon."
Ms Armstrong said her campaign would focus on issues she believes matter most to regional communities.
"For a campaign to be creditable it has to be built on the real stuff, and the real stuff is crime, the real stuff is actually getting our fair share of infrastructure," she said.
"We are 25 per cent of the regional population and we get less than half of that, we get 12 per cent of infrastructure spend. It's so unfair."
She also identified investment in frontline services, schools, healthcare, mental health, housing and roads as key priorities.
"Fantastic there is an investment coming into one of our local primary schools but where is the plan for all the others," she said.
"I think communities need to have an understanding that there's a bit of a strategy in place. And it can't be fixed overnight, it's going to take a decade. We are in it for the long haul."
On housing, Ms Armstrong said communities needed to be consulted rather than presented with one-size-fits-all developments.
"Without understanding the need for diversity in housing type and the spread of housing type, that's not a well-planned community,” she said.
"Let's talk with our communities."
Roads also remain a major concern. "Roads, roads, roads, roads," she said. "I'd like to think people are learning the difference between local roads, council responsibilities and the C roads and the B roads, and certainly the Western Highway, the A roads."
Ms Armstrong said she viewed the role of an elected representative as listening rather than directing.
"It's about representing people, not about me imposing what I think the world should look like, but actually listening to what people want and need," she said.
Asked whether she would like to permanently base herself in Ararat if elected, Ms Armstrong said she would welcome the opportunity.
"I would love that and that's the most common question I've had," she said.
"I'll say that'd be fantastic but I don't believe that's actually in the hands of the elected MP. I think that's a decision made by Spring Street. I would be advocating hard. It would be fantastic to run two if possible, so Maryborough and Ararat. I think that gives a good spread across the electorate."
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