Fiona Kotvojs already knows Eden-Monaro's mountains and coastlines better than most. In 2019, as the Liberals' candidate, she clocked more than 60,000 kilometres travelling the electorate to talk to voters - but this time around COVID-19 has thwarted her usual campaigning style.
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While it's her second attempt to win the seat, Dr Kotvojs is hoping this time will be different, and helping fix "glitches" with the bushfire recovery effort is squarely at the front of her agenda.
Like many in Eden-Monaro, Dr Kotvojs and her husband had to defend their Dignams Creek farm from the bushfires that ravaged the south-east of the country over the summer.
The house was saved, but the property was badly affected, and her own journey back to normal has a long way to go.
"In my case I've discovered I've got five kilometres of fence to repair. I didn't realise I had that much until you start doing it, and doing it, and doing it," she told The Canberra Times.
And while Dr Kotvojs acknowledges bushfire survivors are calling for help to come faster, in her experience the quality of support from state and federal governments has been good - although there were "glitches" early in the rollout. If elected, she wants to improve the co-ordination between all levels of government.
"The councils, for example, they have the lists of who's been affected by the bushfires, but that information hasn't been shared over privacy concerns. So when you're at a federal level, or you're in a state level or a you're a charity, it's really difficult when you don't have that list," she said.
The Snowy Valleys Council is about to start a process of contacting people on its list to ask if their information can be shared with other entities, something Dr Kotvojs said needs to happen with other councils.
In my case I've discovered I've got five kilometres of fence to repair. I didn't realise I had that much until you start doing it, and doing it, and doing it.
- Fiona Kotvojs
Efforts have also been slowed by the reluctance of some people to ask for help, believing others are worse off.
"Country people in particular are really proud people, they're very conscious that there other people worse off than themselves," she said.
Dr Kotvojs is no stranger to the angry reaction received by Prime Minister Scott Morrison in the aftermath of the fires in her own community. A member of the Cobargo Rural Fire Service, she was there the day locals harangued Mr Morrison, but doesn't believe that will make it harder for her to win on July 4.
"He came down to Cobargo the first day the roads were open," Dr Kotvojs said, adding that while there was anger in the community there was also respect.
"He came into a community where he knew it would be tough because of the political alignment of our community, he also knew it was going to be tough because people were really hurting.
"You know people had to shoot their cattle, people had lost their homes, people had evacuated, it was really tough. There is a lot of respect across the community because he came into a situation that he knew was going to be tough and he took it."
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As well as running a cattle and truffle farm, Dr Kotvojs also has years of experience in development in the Asia-Pacific and is a board member of Oxfam Australia. She started her career as a high school teacher and has also completed several postgraduate degrees.
Asked why she is a Liberal Party member, she said it was her grandparents' experience fleeing Austria in fear for their lives that is front of mind.
"My family's experience taught me that you really need to fight for freedom of speech, you need to fight for freedom of religion, you need to fight for freedom of property ownership, and respect them. And that's fundamentally why I'm a Liberal."
Sally Whyte
I report on a range of issues in federal politics and the public service, with a real passion for how decisions made in Canberra affect the lives of Australians.
I report on a range of issues in federal politics and the public service, with a real passion for how decisions made in Canberra affect the lives of Australians.
