The date is finally set for the federal election and Hume candidates are jumping out of the blocks on their campaigns.
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Sitting Liberal Hume MP Angus Taylor holds the seat by a 10.2 per cent margin. He'll once again come up against Labor's Aoife Champion. Ms Champion also stood in 2016. Independent Huw Kingston has also thrown his hat in the ring. He's calling for "meaningful action" on climate change but also more support for small business, among other platforms.
A relative latecomer to the contest is Lynda Abdo, who is standing for the United Australia Party. The Greens' candidate, Dr Saan Ecker has pulled out.
Mr Taylor said he'd be standing on his record.
"I want to keep fighting for the great outcomes and achievements we've made in Hume," he said.
"This election is the clearest choice for Australians in almost 50 years. It's not just a choice about managing the economy and fixing the Budget; it's a choice about Labor's climate policy, Labor will smash the housing market and impose draconian new restrictions on households and businesses."
Ms Champion said she'd be focusing on climate change and Labor's $2.3 billion cancer treatment investment.
"I'm prepared and I've been doing a lot of pre-campaigning for quite a while," she said.
'My opponent (Angus Taylor) has been doing a lot of work for me by talking about energy policy and climate change. Most of it is counter to the science. The science is aligned with Labor Party policy."
Ms Champion said climate change had macro and micro impacts, from farming to every day life, including the cost of energy.
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