The City of Greater Shepparton deputy mayor and prominent businessman announced he would stand as an independent at the next federal election.
Nationals MP Damian Drum holds Nicholls with a healthy 20 per cent margin, making it one of the safest seats in Australia.
Mr Priestly said he decided to stand to improve the representation for his community and concerns over the quality of politics.
At state level the Nationals lost the seat of Shepparton, which they had held for 47 years, to independent Suzanna Sheed.
Mr Priestly is hoping for a repeat of that result.
He has staged two “recruiting” meetings in Echuca in the last few weeks and is planning a third, expecting to soon have a presence in the central business district, in the form of a campaign office.
The next meeting, in a series of community conversations he has held since announcing his decision to stand for Nicholls, will be in Kyabram.
“Anyone who is interested in coming along is welcome. It’s not a campaign launch,” he said.
“It is for people who may be keen to get involved and learn a bit more about what I am all about.
“I’ve done seven or eight now, including a couple of meetings in Echuca.”
Mr Priestly said his campaign planning was “well on the way in Echuca”.
“We haven’t signed a lease on a shopfront yet, but I hope that it — along with Shepparton — will be among the first bases for us,” he said.
“I have some strong links to Echuca.”
The purpose of Mr Priestly’s meeting program is to have community hubs operational in each of the larger communities of his electorate.
“People from these meetings will help set up those hubs
“It will depend on the buy-in from the community as to where they are, but I have had a strong response in Echuca,” he said.
It is likely Mr Priestly will have a shopfront presence in Shepparton, Kyabram, Echuca, Yarrawonga, Seymour and potentially Numurkah, a far cry from the 13 offices set up by independent Federal Member for Indi Helen Haines.
“We are getting close to Christmas, so it is pretty hard work doing public meetings at this time,” he said.
“I am using any networks that I have.”
Mr Priestly and his brother operate the Gouge garment service business, working with more than 1300 hospitals, restaurants, hotels and motels in the region.
“There are 350 of them in the seat of Nicholls, that is one of the platforms, but just because we do business together doesn’t mean we are politically aligned,” he said.
Mr Priestly said the meetings were a chance to have a chat with people who were interested in being involved in the campaign, and raise issues important to them.
“I am eating off the conveyor belt as it comes to me. There are a lot of federal issues around water policy and net zero emissions,” he said.
“I am motivated to make our communities one of those that can benefit from those developments.”
He has already had 150 volunteers sign up to support the campaign.
“There has been lots and lots of love for an independent running,” he said.
“This Kyabram meeting will be the first step into the town for me.”
Mr Priestly said he would not be engaging in any smear campaigns against Mr Drum.
“Drummy is a good bloke, he has tried his heart out,” Mr Priestly said.
“But his party’s interests just don’t align with those of the area.”
He said he would stand aside from his role on Greater Shepparton City Council at some stage before the campaign was announced.
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