In short:
Abut 200 people have attended a forum of election candidates for the Victorian seat of Ripon.
asserted
people → attend → Ripon
The state election is shaping up to be one of the most extraordinary in years and the seat, which has been held by the major parties for 50 years, is tipped to prove challenging for Labor to retain.
asserted
Labor → shape → years
Victorians will go to the polls on November 28.
asserted
Victorians → go → November
The forum was seen as a temperature check of the regional electorates ahead of what is shaping up to be one of the most extraordinary state elections in years.
asserted
what → see → years
Seven candidates attended the forum, but noticeably absent was sitting Labor member, Martha Haylett, who won the seat in 2022 on a tight margin.
asserted
who → attend → margin
Ms Haylett said an "urgent family matter came up" and she could not attend.
uncertain
she → say → ?
More than 200 people attended the afternoon event and the debate became heated as passionate questions were asked from the floor.
asserted
questions → attend → floor
Concerns were raised about the state government's plans for the Western Renewables Link (WRL) and the VNI West transmission line, along with the emergency services levy and the state of Victoria's roads.
asserted
Concerns → raise → roads
Nationals candidate Jo Armstrong said she was opposed to the renewable energy push.
asserted
she → say → push
"I support canning the WRL, personally, but the Coalition's policy at this point — I'm going to be completely clear — is to review it," she said.
"
asserted
she → support → it
I'm fighting for what you all want, and that is cancel it before the election."
asserted
that → fight → election
Tim Drylie, one of two Greens candidates, said residents needed to be better compensated for Victoria's transition to renewable energy.
asserted
residents → say → energy
"We're not seeing that enough at the moment," he said.
asserted
he → see → moment
"[People] need to be empowered to make decisions around the renewable transition."
asserted
People → need → transition
Liberal candidate Megan Read, a Skipton farmer, also voiced concerns about VNI West.
asserted
Read → voice → West
"We don't need farmers chaining themselves to their gates just to protect their land.
asserted
farmers → need → land
That's just absolutely disgusting," she said.
asserted
she → say → ?
"I have walked this journey for 20 years …
asserted
I → walk → years
we were fighting the same proponent for a wind farm …
asserted
we → fight → farm
I cannot see people go through the same thing."
asserted
people → see → thing
The crowd booed when the Greens candidates began with a Welcome to Country, with some telling them to leave.
asserted
some → boo → them
For 50 years the seat of Ripon has flipped back and forth between the major parties and is widely considered one of the rural seats Labor will find difficult to hold at the upcoming election.
asserted
Labor → flip → election
The electorate covers areas to the west and north of Ballarat as well as the towns of Ararat, Beaufort and Maryborough.
asserted
electorate → cover → Ararat
Agriculture, manufacturing and healthcare are some of the larger industries of employment in the seat but it also has a large proportion of retirees.
asserted
it → have → retirees
There are farmers in Victoria's north in support for the renewable projects, with about 40 per cent of landowners allowing survey access on their properties.
asserted
cent → be → properties
In Ballarat on Sunday night One Nation leader Pauline Hanson attending a party fundraiser was met by protesters in the main street chanting "Racists out".
asserted
Hanson → attend → Racists
Police moved protesters on.
asserted
Police → move → protesters
Victorians will go to the polls on November 28.
asserted
Victorians → go → November
The Aporia