In an election campaign, a lot can change in a few days.

That has certainly been the case for the Farrer electorate.

Voters woke to the news on Monday that Labor candidate Christian Kunde had dropped out of the race because a story in The Telegraph claimed he had “close ties” to an extreme Islamist group called Hizbut-Tahir and its spokesman Uthman Badar.

The story also claimed Mr Kunde had made homophobic comments during a speech at Sydney University where he compared homosexuality with incest.

Mr Kunde denies this, but made the decision to stand aside after speaking to his family.

Sadly, this latest chapter reminded me of an issue the Labor Party dealt with in the lead up to the state election last year.

The party’s candidate Max Buljubasich refused to talk to The Area News about local issues without gaining approval from the party machine in Sydney.

"I can't tell you what I think," he said.

"At the end of the day, I am not an independent candidate.

"I have boundaries on how far I can go."

Labor Party voters now need to reconsider their options in the upcoming election.

The fact the Labor Party announced their candidate late, coupled with the fact voters now don’t have the choice to vote Labor, will not instil a lot of confidence locally in the party.

Griffith residents need to be aware of this and should make their vote count.

A vote to the Labor Party will do nothing for the electorate – except line the party’s pockets if they receive more than 4 per cent of the vote. Given that there is no Labor candidate, residents should think about where they want the money to go.

A vote for Labor is potentially $2.63 the party will have to spend elsewhere.

The Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area needs all the help it can get when it comes to funding. Griffith is in desperate need of a hospital upgrade and the issues faced by irrigators due to uncertainty surrounding water allocations need to be made a priority.

The no water, no vote campaign is a good way to make the candidates sit up and listen.

Voters need to send a clear message – candidates need to earn their vote by making funding commitments that will ensure the region’s future as the country’s foodbowl is secure.