HORSHAM FORUM: Mallee candidates at a forum in Horsham on Monday, from left, Adam Veitch, Trumpet of Patriots; Member for Mallee Anne Webster, standing for The Nationals; Labor’s Greg Olson; Nicole Rowan, Greens; Jeff Barry, Libertarian Party; Chris Lahy, Australian Citizens Party; and The Weekly Advertiser editor and moderator Lauren Henry. Picture: PAUL CARRACHER
Donna Johns askes a question to candidates. 2025 Mallee candidates forum.
Mallee candidates quizzed at election forum
30 April 2025
Mining on agricultural land, rising cost-of-living expenses and funding access to develop community sporting facilities were on the agenda at a Mallee candidates forum on Monday night.
The Weekly Advertiser, 3WM and MIXX FM hosted the forum – one of only two candidates’ forums in the Mallee electorate, with the second at Inglewood last night.
Six of the eight candidates attended the Horsham forum – incumbent Member for Mallee Anne Webster, standing for The Nationals; Labor’s Greg Olsen; Nicole Rowan, Greens; Adam Veitch, Trumpet of Patriots; Jeff Barry, Libertarian Party; and Chris Lahy, Australian Citizens Party.
Family First candidate Ashleigh Gray and Vaughan Williams, standing for Pauline Hanson’s One Nation, were late apologies to the forum.
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The forum, which attracted about 40 people to Coughlin Park Com-munity Centre and hundreds to the online streaming, began with candidates each having two minutes to introduce themselves and provide a background.
Audience questions, from both those in attendance and submitted prior to The Weekly Advertiser, then gave the voters a chance to hear from the candidates directly.
Questions about mining on agricultural land; transgender policies; candidates’ influence on major party decisions; measures to curb rising cost-of-living expenses; and access to funding streams to develop and maintain community sporting facilities were key items on the agenda.
The forum was moderated by The Weekly Advertiser editor Lauren Henry, who thanked all candidates for travelling to attend the forum, and for putting up their hand to stand as a candidate.
“Ours is a big electorate made of so many different communities with differing needs, challenges and issues,” she said.
“There are so many red-hot topics in our region right now – renewable energy; mining; recovery from the Grampians fires; and access to public land, such as Arapiles, which are key challenges in the Wimmera.
“And then there are all the issues and challenges in Mildura and Swan Hill and down south in Maryborough – the candidates have a lot to be across.”
Ms Henry said The Nationals’ long-held stranglehold of the Mallee was evident with Dr Webster recording a strong primary vote of 49.1 per cent at the 2022 election – a 27.9 per cent increase from 2019.
Wannon
An election forum for Wannon allowed Ararat residents to quiz candidates ahead of Saturday’s election.
Sitting member Dan Tehan, Liberal; will go up against independent candidate Alex Dyson; Lee-Ann Elmes, Family First; Kate Gazzard, Greens; Julie Ann McCamish, Trumpet of Patriots; Robbie Swan, Legalise Cannabis; Leo Curtain, Pauline Hanson’s One Nation; Fiona Mackenzie, Labor; and Bernardine Atkinson, independent.
Voters have already begun going to the polls, with record numbers voting before election day on Saturday despite the pre-poll period including two public holidays.
By Monday, 2.95 million Australians had cast their ballot, according to the Australian Electoral Commission.
People can vote early at Horsham Anglican Church Hall, Stawell Baptist Church Hall; and Ararat’s Holy Spirit Centre.
