The itineraries and social media appear below
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Hi again,
We’re a week out from the election and the pace is cracking for many of the candidates.
Last Friday the Post held a Meet the Candidates forum at the Goulburn Workers Club, and even though it was well attended (both by the public and the candidates – only Stephen Fitzpatrick was a no show), it was a little flat and didn’t contain a knockout blow by any candidate.
There was a bit of passion (especially by Wal Ashton at the end of the night) but not a lot. I guess that’s to be expected given the sheer number of these candidate’s forums they’ve had to attend. And to be fair, most of them have attended nearly all of the forums.
Still…
I think Ursula Stephens missed a chance to detail why Labor believes the Polls and Wire privatisation is bad. The assets sale is the main reason why the Liberal Party is able to spend money on electorates in this election (although it needs to be emphasised that the hospital promise for Goulburn is unrelated to Polls and Wire).
But since the LACK of an assets sale by Labor is the reason they aren’t spending up big, I thought it was incumbent upon Ursula to explain the ALP’s opposition, and thus why they weren’t matching the Liberal Party’s election incentives.
Pru Goward didn’t bring elaborate on Poles and Wires either, but she probably didn’t really need to. If the sale is regarded as unpopular by some (and given the number of red Labor shirts in the crowd, it’s fair to say it was), then why (pardon the pun) labour the point?
For her part, Pru was a bit snappy at times. And you can take that a few ways. Her responses on the budget papers, to the STRUG representative and to Wal at the end of the night would be regarded as a bit of welcome passion by supporters, or as dismissive and aggro by opponents.
If you have the time, I’d recommend you have a look at the videos and make up your own mind. We’ve got the whole thing recorded in two sets of videos… one of the candidate’s speeches, and another of the questions from the floor.
So, the night went well. The organisation by Gerard Walsh at the Post, and the hosting by Graeme Northey were top notch, but by and large (with the exception of Wal Ashton) I didn’t get the feeling that the candidates demonstrated the passion I hoped for.
Before we get onto the itineraries, just a clarification. In the video below, which features both Pru Goward and Ursula Steohens, Pru is asked if the $120 million hospital funding announced would be affected if she was not to be elected. Health Minister Jillian Skinner made it clear that the funding was needs-based and contingent on only the Baird government being returned and not the result in Goulburn. Pru also made it clear that the hospital “isn’t being rebuilt because we want to buy votes, this is being rebuilt because this is what has got to happen.”
Here are the itineraries for the final week, reprinted (as always) in the order received.
- Saturday, March 21: Campaign Event, Goulburn Showground
- Sunday, March 22: Campaign Event, Goulburn Showground
- Monday, March 23: Pre Polling, Goulburn / Yass
- Tuesday, March 24: Pre Polling, Goulburn / Yass
- Wednesday, March 25: Pre Polling, Goulburn / Yass
- Thursday, March 26: Pre Polling, Goulburn / Yass
- Friday, March 27: Pre Polling, Goulburn / Yass
- Saturday, March 28: Polling day
- Friday, March 20: Bundanoon Doorknocking & Meet the Candidate
- Saturday, March 21: Yass Street stall, Gundaroo Public School 150th anniversary celebrations, Goulburn Show
- Sunday, March 22: Goulburn Show
- Monday, March 23: Pre-poll and doorknocking various locations
- Tuesday, March 24: Pre-poll and doorknocking various locations
- Wednesday, March 25: Pre-poll and doorknocking various locations
- Thursday, March 26: Pre-poll and doorknocking various locations
- Friday, March 27: Pre-poll and doorknocking various locationss
- Saturday, March 28: Pre-poll and doorknocking various locations
- Saturday, March 14: Glbn 152 Birthday. Rose Festival, A Salute Exhibition GRAG, Bundanoon Worlds greatest shave. Bungonia meet and greet, trinity harvest dinner
- Sunday, March 15: Yass Show, Heritage parade, seniors week concert Moss Vale
- Monday, March 16: Pre Poll glbn, official opening senrios week Goulburn, constit and community group meetings, meet the candidates Yass
- Tuesday, March 17: Yass Pre poll, radio interviews, Public meeting wing shire council,
- Wednesday, March 18: Bowral pre poll, Seniors week events in Moss Vale and Robbertson
- Thursday, March 19: Chevalier College presentation, Goulburn pre poll, WIN TV, Channel 7 TV interviews, Duncan gay visit
- Friday, March 20: Opening of group home MV, Baird Bus MV – Glbn, Goulburn west official opening of hall
- Saturday, March 21: Goulburn Show, teapot club event, Gundaroo 150th anniversary celebrations
- Sunday, March 22: Goulburn Show, Campaign launch
- Thursday, March 19: Goulburn am with HSU, Pre-poll, Moss Vale cocktail Party with Tanya Plibersek
- Friday, March 20: Yass Business Breakfast, Yass Pre-poll, meetings with community organisations. Evening, Candidate Forum in Bundanoon
- Saturday, March 21: Goulburn Show am, Gundaroo 150th Celebrations and Peppa Pig Birthday Party evening;
- Sunday, March 22: Goulburn Show
- Monday, March 23: Doorknocking, Pre - Poll, Crookwell
- Tuesday, March 24: Yass Doorknocking, Opening of Angels Pantry 2pm
- Wednesday, March 25: Pre-poll, media interviews