Self-proclaimed “average Australian” Ricky Muir surprised voters in 2013 when he was elected to the Senate on a record low primary vote of 0.51 per cent.

Muir only served two years of his term before Malcolm Turnbull’s double dissolution forced him out of office in 2016. He is now attempting a political comeback in the state election.

Muir is campaigning for the Morwell seat, which is ripe for a potential independent to exert influence due to its 1.8 per cent margin. He is representing the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party.

On Muir’s Facebook page, he says the party is the only one that is committed to stopping restrictions to public land access and fighting against new public park proposals.

Muir works and lives in Heyfield, which is a 45-minute drive north of Morwell. However, in an interview with The Weekly Times, Muir said he did not believe living outside of the electorate would work against him in the election.

Muir dropped out of high school at the age of 15 and has worked numerous blue-collar jobs, but he has also experienced difficult periods of unemployment.          

“I learnt and experienced how no work, knock-backs from job applications, and struggling to put food on the table and keep on top of the bills at the same time can bring a feeling of low self-esteem and depression,” he said.

Muir has worked in manufacturing, on vegetable and dairy farms, in a bakery, in pine plantations, at a tannery, in landscaping and in the timber industry. Muir decided to enter politics after years of dissatisfaction with the two-party system.

“The disconnect from the average Australian, is, in my view, why voters are looking for alternatives,” Muir said in his maiden speech to Parliament back in 2015.

Muir’s vision for Australian governance is for it to give an opportunity for everyone’s voices to be heard and not just the major parties.

“[The Senate] piss our money up the wall while being so self-absorbed that they are more worried about whose face will lead in the next election rather than what legacy their party has to stand on or policy platform they wish to sell to us,” said Muir on social media.

During his short time in the Senate, Muir received attention for his support of same-sex marriage as well as for his support of legislation to protect asylum seekers transferred to Australia from being sent back to Nauru in 2014.

Although Muir may appeal to voters due to his working class background, he may face some challenges. He is facing legal action by former Canningvale Mill owner John Mavros over an alleged debt of $120,000.

Mavros claims that he sold Muir the property in 2016 but has yet to be paid back. The mill has since been renamed Muir Timber.

Muir has not officially addressed the accusations, and Mavros has not responded to a message seeking clarification. Muir Timber declined to comment.

Despite multiple attempts by UniPollWatch, Muir did not respond to requests for an interview.