Gellibrand Candidate Forum - first one EVA!

Being the safest ALP seat in Australia, all us voters usually get is some articles in the local paper like this.  This is standard stuff for the local newspapers, it's a phone call and they can knock the photos off candidate's websites, so it is a easy thing to put together.  I had seen a report on nofibs.com.au about a forum in Wentworth, so I got to thinking, if they can have one in a safe Liberal seat, why not here, and why can't I organise it?

To some, organising an event like this sounds would be like building a 3D jigsaw.  I've organised many events previously and know they all basically run to the same model:  Get venue, Promote, Undertake. I had contacted all local Councils about a getting a room, one said they don't rent out rooms, and I am still waiting for a call back from the facilities officer at Hobsons Bay Council.  I've always believed in doing, and I knew waiting would just string things out further, so I contacted a local football club to see if they had a room.  The Rocks is a new function centre in what used to be the old grandstand at Williamstown Football Club.  Once I had a chat them and described the event, they agreed to host the event for nothing.  That was the Get Venue part done, now it was time to Promote. 

The candidates were vital in this, and their tweeting and promoting the forum no doubt helped to get some people along.  I also sent emails to all the local MPs, federal and state (not surprisingly, none turned up) as well as the local Councillors of the two Councils Gellibrand covers.  These details are easy to find on the Internet.  The local newspapers were also contacted, but only one of the three followed up and told me they would write it up.  Most of them came out the same day as the forum, so it would make it tight for any potential attendees. There were a couple of people at the event who must have heard out the Forum through other means, so the paper must have done something to get them along. 

The Family First candidate was an apology because of family commitments, as was the Liberal Party candidate.  To be honest, we haven't seen much of the Family first candidate at all.  A few Tweets, an appearance on The Project and some Facebook posts is the extent of campaigning.  That meant five of the seven candidates confirmed and with that the model moved onto Undertake. 

The structure was easy, up to five minutes to introduce themselves, questions from the floor with two minute answers, then a three minute closing statement.  Starting time was 7 and finish by 8:30.

When the candidates arrived, they got to pick an envelope with a number in it which would be their speaking order.  Turned out it went like this:

Anthony O'Neil - Australian Christians

Rod Swift - The Greens

Tim Watts - ALP

Dwayne Singleton - Palmer United Party

Allan Cashion - Sex Party

Anthony was late, and Tim let Anthony go after Rod.

Rod Swift started off with thanks to the traditional owners, and went through the Greens policies. Rod spoke of the Greens commitment to improvements in health, public transport, transport more generally, education, clean energy and climate and about wanting to make a real change.  The Greens are always on message and it was more of the same that you can read about in the above link.  Interestingly, Rod also included some policies that have not yet been released or costed, more to come on this.

Anthony O'Neil gave a rundown on the Christian Party, which is not Christian and not trying to get people to follow this faith.  Anthony also dropped the line of the night, if not the campaign:  Penny Wong might be a great parent, but she'll never be a great Dad. Basically, they believe in traditional marriage, and that seems to be the main reason for the party being in existence.  I'm not married, but I do have three kids, and my partner and I have been together for over 17 years now.  Years ago, we would have been singled out as being sinners and bringing down the 'sanctity of marriage' by living together and having kids outside of wedlock.  Here's the rub, no one really cares anymore that we aren't married.  Gay marriage will be the same.  I have close gay friends who might want to get married.  It is wrong that they can't if they want to, because I can.  If they want to have kids, good luck to them.  What I think people forget in this debate, is that members of the GLBTI community are just like you and me.  The only exception is that they love someone of the same gender - in every other aspect they are like you and me.  Although, sadly, many have walked a harder road because of who they love.

Tim Watts spoke of the Labor government's achievements, and said he wanted a fairer more prosperous country.  One point Tim did speak on was the little spoken of item of raising the tax free threshold, saying that this is something that has been forgotten about.  Infrastructure was also mentioned including the $3b committing the ALP has made to build the Metro Rail Tunnel.  He discussed Regional Rail Link, and the investment that the ALP has made to Toyota (which manufactures cars here in Gellibrand) which the Coalition government if elected would not support, which might end Toyota's manufacturing.  Tim spoke very well, but that is something I expected knowing that he has worked for Senator Conroy and also for Telstra.  He did come with a posse of supporters which took me back to my days when I was one of them.

Candidates listen to a question from the audience

Dwayne Singleton from Palmer United Party (PUP) spoke of his links to the local area, and from the heart about his father who was well known in the Williamstown area. Dwayne had previously handed out for the Democrats, and based on this was a strong believer in third parties.  Dwayne spoke about people coming into the electorate, and was particularly clear that although Tim Watts was from outside the electorate, he should be welcomed into the electorate, as that is what Gellibrand was built on.  Dwayne tried to give a rundown on PUP policies, but the clock beat him to it.

Allan Cashion from the Sex Party introduced himself and spoke of the Sex Party as being a party for small business, as that is where its founders came from.  Allan spoke of the policies, such as BAS reform, drug law reform including an injection room and how they believe in decriminalisation of some drugs so that they can then be treated as a health issue. Something that has been overlooked in the Sex Party policies is their policy of ending the tax exempt status for religion.  Only a small party could run with this, and if their lead senate candidate gets up, which is a possibility, this would be something that could shake some 'religions' quite forcefully.

Questions were then invited from the floor with a some coming from local residents.  As said earlier, the Greens mentioned that a major transport plan was coming, and repeated some policies items from a public transport forum. These were funding for the Altona rail loop, a station at Caroline Springs, rail lines to Doncaster and Rowville and high speed signaling.  Rod was questioned quite hard on these and indicated that they were to be in the transport policy which was going to be released in that week. Only Doncaster rail and signaling are in that policy, and they are commitments for part funding, which when faced with a hostile state government, is almost useless.  It may seem that Rod is being pointed out here, but he did tweet that "The Coalition won't release costings until final week. The Greens won't release a policy without costings!"  It was naive to think that a statement like this wouldn't come back to haunt you.

A number of other items were covered such as asylum seekers which most candidates discussed clearly and from the heart.  It was discussed about policies which favoured boat arrivals over plane, who gets to come and why as well as intake numbers. One candidate summed the issue up as 'the life of someone on a boat is no less valuable than someone in a camp'.  Changing demographics in Gellibrand and being home to many new immigrants means that many people know former refugees and have an interest deeply in their plight.  An attendee said that it was important not to forget people in camps, and thanked the candidates for this reminder that not all asylum seekers are waiting for a boat.

Greens candidate outlines why voters should vote for him

Transport issues were covered, including an extraordinary claim that regional rail link wouldn't increase travel times for commuters - a project that separates regional from metropolitan trains is going to improve travel times.  When it came to trucks, it was mentioned that one candidate believes the EastWest Link will actually remove trucks from Gellibrand, the Greens policy of ramps for the West Gate was covered (article to come), and the ALP said they will always let Infrastructure Australia prioritise the projects that get built.  

One attendee said he was going to vote Palmer, as Clive 'had run a business before', and as we had the PUP lead Senate candidate, Barry Michels, he asked Dwayne to explain some policies.  Clearly, at the PUP meeting the previous weekend in Queensland a lot of time went into swatting by candidates on policy and should they continue as a party.  Many local candidates, not just from PUP, will have three years to build their profiles and to get into policy debates.

Once questions were over, candidates then had three minutes to make a final pitch to the attendees.  Being the first forum done in Gellibrand, as confirmed by attendee Ralph Willis (Member for Gellibrand 1972 – 1998), all enjoyed being part of it, and for me it was interesting to see the candidates on their feet.  Sure most of the questions were from apparatchiks from the various parties (so to the majority of the 25 in attendance), and if the candidates can't stand a little heat then they shouldn't be there.

In a safe seat the candidates really have nothing to lose.  Those from smaller parties find it hard to get traction, and the incumbent can risk looking arrogant if they don't turn up.  Organising the forum was, to me, a chance to promote nofibs, but more a chance for the candidates to be in a forum with each other and voters.  A number of people on the campaign here in Gellibrand had told me what I was doing as a Citizen Journalist was a worthy thing, they knew of nofibs.com.au and were impressed with Margo and her contribution to the polity over time.  Having Margo's name attached to what I was doing here in Gellibrand, not just with the forum, gave me credibility and ready established bona fides.  nofibs.com.au didn't embolden me, but it opened showed opportunities that I suspect might not have been available to me if I was reporting back to my own Blog.  I have never found event management difficult, and I don't know where I'll be in three years time, so hopefully the idea of the Gellibrand forum continues.  It was a worthwhile project and, from my point of view, anything that allows the voters to interact with those who want to represent them can never be a bad thing.