Cheryl Hawken never set out to build a career in politics. Her life was built in the real world. But there comes a point when watching from the sidelines is no longer enough - for Cheryl, that time has come.

A wife, mum and nan, Cheryl has been a single parent, carer, small business owner and dairy farmer, and now farms beef cattle with her husband. Her background in administration/financial management and frontline roles exposed her firsthand to the pressures Australians face.

"I've seen what happens when decisions on paper hit people in the real world. Behind every number is a person, family or small business trying to make ends meet. Government must remember who carries the weight of its decisions."

That belief drove Cheryl to stand as One Nation's candidate for Bendigo East. She has watched Victoria's debt climb while taxpayers absorb waste and cost blowouts.

"In business, you can't continually blow the budget and send somebody else the bill. Yet in government, that's become acceptable. It isn't."

Cheryl believes government must get back to basics: safe communities, functioning hospitals, decent roads, good schools and value for taxpayers.

"Too many decisions shaping regional Victoria are made in city offices without lived experience or genuine consultation. Regional communities and farmers deserve a real seat at the table."

For Cheryl, government integrity means truth and accountability.

"Good government requires transparency and the courage to call things as they are. Get it wrong? Own it and fix it. You cannot fix a problem you refuse to acknowledge."

Ultimately, Cheryl is stepping forward for the next generation.

"Australia was the Lucky Country. That cannot become something we speak about nostalgically while our children and grandchildren wonder where the opportunity went."

Cheryl offers a lifetime of experience outside politics.

"I've lived the pressures and faced the challenges Australians face. I'm prepared to stand up and fight for something better."