James Purcell says an independent member for South West Coast would bring region millions in funding

Cr Purcell said an independent member for South West Coast would enjoy far more power in state parliament than a Liberal or Labor MP and bring in far more money for local projects.

"Historically people have said you can't get money if you're not in a major party, but if you have a look at Suzanna Sheed in Shepparton, she's got millions for that electorate as an independent," he said.

Cr Purcell also pointed to Mildura - where local member Ali Cupper is an independent - receiving funding for a $36 million drug and alcohol rehabilitation facility in May's state budget.

"That centre isn't even scoped," he said. Meanwhile, Warrnambool's proposed Lookout Residential Rehabilitation Centre has missed out on funding for more than five years.

"If we'd had an independent here we would've had that centre three years ago."

Cr Purcell said he was astonished an independent candidate hadn't stepped forward for the state race, especially after Alex Dyson's strong showing against Liberal incumbent Dan Tehan in May's federal election.

"It's been horribly quiet. I'm not sure whether there are people out there keeping their powder dry, but they really need to put their hands up soon," he said.

Cr Purcell said if Labor toppled Ms Britnell in South West Coast, new MP Kylie Gaston would be a first-term backbencher with "very little power", and if Ms Britnell kept her seat she would likely remain in opposition, with "even less power".

He said independent candidates won around 30 per cent of the vote in South West Coast in 2018 and voters were increasingly looking for alternatives to the Liberal and Labor parties.

"Once people have voted away from the majors once, they will do it again," he said.

The Age has speculated a candidate "linked to the community independent movement" would run against Ms Britnell, but grassroots independent group Voices of Wannon said it had no plans to run a candidate.

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Voices of Wannon committee member Genevieve Grant said a couple of potential candidates had approached the group for advice but "the group hasn't engaged with that".

"I don't think anybody has the energy after the federal campaign ... as far as I'm aware nobody in the campaign group or the wider circle associated with the group is running," she said.

"I reckon an independent would do very well, but they would need to have made themselves known to a team some time ago to get things under way."

Cr Jim Doukas won eight per cent of the vote running for the Australian Country Party in 2018. He said he thought a candidate needed party support to succeed and criticised Labor for selecting Ms Gaston as its candidate after she lost last time around.

"I think Kylie's days are numbered. Picking her did Roma a lot of good," Cr Doukas said. "People see Kylie Gaston as a non-event."

Ms Gaston rejected the suggestion she was a weak candidate, saying she had worked hard to secure funding for local projects.

"If Jim believes well over $700 million invested in our community by the Andrews Government with my advocacy is a non-event, wait and see what I can achieve this time as I listen and work even harder for our region again," she said.

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