Calare candidates critical of budget's direction and focus

Independent Kate Hook said the announced cut to the fuel excise was helpful, but said she believed there was also an opportunity to push towards renewables.

"I recognise there should have been long-term strategic support for things like electric vehicle uptake and charging infrastructure," she said.

"Had that been done, people would be less vulnerable to price shocks like this."

She said childcare costs that prohibit women from working also needed to be addressed.

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United Australia Party candidate Adam Jannis said the government seemed to be "kicking the can down the road" with what looked to be a budget designed for a re-election pitch.

He said the nation's enormous debt would have to be dealt with at some point but there is "no real initiative to change direction".

"At some point, difficult decisions will need to be made, but they [the government] are not prepared to do that at this point," he said.

Mr Jannis said he supported a cut to the fuel excise, because he said people are hurting at the moment, but said the cut's temporary nature made it look like part of a re-election strategy.

Greens candidate Kay Nankervis, meanwhile, was critical of the $480 million in funding for the environment, an amount she described as "measly", adding she found it odd the treasurer separated it from the problems of drought, fire and flood.

"What really disappointed me was how little was actually earmarked specifically for the two words 'environment' and 'climate', words I think only turned up once each in Josh Frydenberg's budget speech," Ms Nankervis said.

She said the climate and environment were the most pressing problems of the times.

The Western Advocate contacted One Nation candidate Stacey Whittaker but had not heard back by time of publication.

On the Stacey Whittaker for Calare Facebook page, however, Ms Whittaker said the Federal Government needed to stop "spending money on submarines that we will never see, making promises that they know will be broken, and actually focus on managing our economy in a way that benefits Australians today and into the future".

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