During the 1987 Australian Federal Election, while Mel was living with his family on his farm in North East, Victoria, Australia in the electorate of Indi, he agreed to campaign for an independent candidate. Robert Taylor was a truck driver from Peechelba, Victoria standing against Ewen Cameron a long standing incumbent liberal member. Mel and Rob were invited to the Ray Martin Midday Show to talk about how Australian politics would benefit from more independent candidates. The two party system, both selling Australia off to foreign interests, was "like which arm do you want cut off first; the left or the right". Rob struck a positive chord with the electorate scoring 8.2% of the votes. Cameron continued to hold the seat for a total of 16 years until 1993. It remained in Liberal Party hands another 20 years until 2013 since when it has been represented by an independent member.