By JESSE GRAHAM
EILDON candidates again took the floor and fielded questions from timber industry members and bush users at a Meet the Candidates evening in Healesville last week.
Friends of Forestry (FoF) put on the evening at the Don Road Sporting Complex in Healesville on Thursday 30 October, bringing together a group of more than 250 people from a range of bush user groups.
Hunters, shooters, fishers, tradesmen, agricultural workers and members of the timber industry, along with locals from around the electorate, filled the hall to hear the candidates speak and to put forward questions through the evening’s Master of Ceremonies, Andrew Embling.
Labor’s Sally Brennan, the Nationals’ Jim Child, the Australian Country Alliance’s Jeffrey Leake, Independent Bruce Argyle and Seymour MP and Liberal candidate Cindy McLeish all attended the event, with the Greens’ Marie Sellstrom unable to attend – Ms Sellstrom had her answers read by FoF member, Graham Taylor, on the night.
After an introductory speech, the candidates each answered questions about topics such as the East-West Tunnel, the Healesville and Mansfield Hospitals, the timber industry, jobs growth, preferences and the Great Forest National Park (GFNP) proposal.
Ms Brennan said that she supported the timber industry, but did not indicate support or opposition to the GFNP proposal.
She said that, if elected, she would like to see a round-table discussion with all stakeholders about the proposal and how to balance the interests. Mr Argyle said he supported this approach.
Both candidates received jeers from audience members for their answers, and Mr Embling often stopped the interrupters so the candidates could continue answering.
Mr Child, Ms McLeish and Mr Leake all stated their firm opposition to the GFNP, to the cheers and applause of many of the attendees.
Ms Sellstrom wrote that both she and the Greens fully support the establishment of the GFNP.
On the topic of major policies, Ms Brennan said that her focus was on jobs, skills and education; Mr Child said his was on jobs, training and the economy; Mr Leake said that local and relevant training and jobs were important; Mr Argyle said his focus was on access to education, health, public transport and local jobs; Ms McLeish said hers was on creating jobs; and Ms Sellstrom wrote that addressing climate change was her concerns.
During a question-and-answer session, Ms Brennan was asked by a number of different stakeholders about the GFNP proposal, and how it would affect their activities – such as hunting and four-wheel-driving – as well as people working in the timber industry.
She said that she wanted all stakeholders to be present for a discussion on the matter, and that she would support those activities, including selective logging, in those discussions.
Mr Argyle was later taken to task on a statement he made about clear-fell logging in old growth forests, with Malcolm Warnock correcting him that no timber is harvested from old growth areas.
Ms Brennan said that her preferences would not be confirmed until 14 November, while Mr Argyle said he would not preference any party – Mr Leake and Ms McLeish said they would both preference the Nationals, while Mr Child said he would preference the Liberal Party and Ms Sellstrom wrote that her decision had not been made.
Ms Sellstrom told the Mail prior to the forum that she did not receive formal notification of the event until days beforehand, but Mr Taylor said a group email was circulated to the candidates in recent months.
