He cites growing public distrust of the major political parties as his main motivation for running.
Mr Vincent worked for the ATO for more than 30 years, collecting taxes, forms and information.
He considers himself a “custodian of many secrets”, working for about 20 years as a prosecutor, pursuing tax crime for the Court of Victoria.
Mr Vincent feels he has a wealth of experience and knowledge that would be relevant if elected.
A key objective to him is advocating for no nuclear-powered submarines in Australia, unable to be convinced by the AUKUS agreement.
He said that in conversations with residents of Bendigo, they would like to see a change of the “mean, obstructive and unfriendly” government style.
Mr Vincent believes that in the northern end of the electorate, including Rochester, water is a critical issue.
Furthermore, he feels that the Murray-Darling Basin should be addressed with a multidisciplinary approach.
Speaking to Rochester residents over the Easter long weekend, he was concerned by the amount of traffic along the Northern Highway during peak holiday periods.
Mr Vincent believes Victorian authorities are not reducing bottlenecks in Elmore and Rochester.
He suggested the installation of temporary traffic lights or police directing traffic would help ease these concerns.
Further, he feels that highway repairs should not be paid for by locals, as he believes they mainly benefit non-locals.
If elected, he has promised to spend half of his time outside central Bendigo, looking to arrange to spend time in each town in the electorate in temporary offices.
He would also aim to attend council meetings frequently.
Mr Vincent draws on the contributions of his ancestors, whom he said worked on councils to prioritise the needs of the community.
14°C