Just before any election there’s always a great chance for community groups and local government to lobby for what they need and have a fifty-fifty chance of getting it.

It’s a pity that so far only the Liberal Party has taken an interest in our Mid North communities and attempted to find out what we want and need.

It’s also a shame they are the only ones to announce the promise of funding for major projects if they win the March election.

However, there’s still time for the Labor Party to visit and get involved in a little bit of one-upmanship.

In the past, if an electorate is a marginal one, such as Frome, the incumbent government has thrown itself into a frenzy of gift giving and promises, but this activity is notably absent this year.

There are still many issues on the books which need addressing – work still needs to be done on patches of the whole length of Main North Road, not just the bits where new overtaking lanes have been constructed.

The wine grape industry is in dire need of some support, and all towns are dealing with ageing infrastructure.

A simple thing like reinstating Clare’s fire siren could see widespread appreciation from residents.

It’s not too late for groups and local governments to begin lobbying for the things they need.

The neighbouring electorate of Stuart, where the Northern Argus is also widely circulated, could also be an interesting contest due to the retirement of Australia’s longest serving Member of Parliament, the Liberal Party’s Graham Gunn.

Issues for Stuart in the Argus circulation area could include the treacherous condition of the Barrier Highway between Burra and Riverton, and the proposed windfarm developments throughout the region.

But it could soon be too late for other candidates to field promises in exchange for an “X” next to their name on the March 20 ballot paper.

There are only 38 days to go – not a lot of time for voters to absorb individual messages from candidates, and to make informed decisions based either on party politics, promises, or an individual candidate’s passion and drive for the region.

And within those 38 vital days there are only four issues of most rural newspapers available to get the message out.