However, he distanced himself from comments made by former Katter candidate for Wannon Tess Corbett,  linking homosexuality with paedophilia. 

Ms Corbett stepped down as a candidate yesterday afternoon. 

Mr Cain told the Central Western Daily he would not comment on that “rubbish.”

“It’s not important, there are far more important issues to be discussed,” he said.

“I only want to discuss things that are relevant.”

Rather, Mr Cain spoke about how the Greens had tarnished the image of the mining industry and he wanted to give the industry a public relations facelift in the eyes of Calare constituents.

“Cadia Valley [Operations] only takes up 0.01 per cent of the land in Calare and employs a lot of people. It is particularly important in this area to support the mines but to make sure the proper managements systems are in place,” he said.

Mr Cain worked in the mining industry for 40 years. 

He said Calare constituents were getting a raw deal federally with John Cobb and the National Party.

He said Calare was, until now, a safe seat and thus governments were not willing to spend up big to support rural constituents.

“I think people are completely disillusioned with the big parties,” he said.

“There will be a swing towards somebody who wants to make a big difference.”

Mr Cain wants Aboriginal people to have more involvement, particularly in mining.

He said 98 per cent of people employed by the mining industry in Australia’s north were Aboriginal, yet only 2 per cent of people employed in the south were Aboriginal.

When it comes to Aboriginal issues Mr Cain takes his inspiration from former member for Calare Peter Andren. 

“We want to pick up here he left off,” he said. 

Mr Cain’s campaign kicks off on February 5 at the Cargo Community Centre, timed to coincide with the first parliamentary sitting for the year.

nicole.kuter@fairfaxmedia.com.au