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One Nation’s Nikole Schellekens at the mike with candidates Chris Buckingham (Labor), Mat Morgan (Greens) and Chris Jobe (Victorian Socialists) and moderator Reverend Graeme Liersch
By Catherine Watson
Don't you love a good political debate? Local political junkies were treated to a lively exchange of views and some fresh ideas when St George’s Anglican Church in Wonthaggi hosted a forum for Bass candidates on Thursday.
Given that the forum was hosted by the church community, candidates didn't face the usual questions about mending potholes and building swimming pools.
Instead they were quizzed on some of the big existential questions, from abortion, conversion therapy and voluntary assisted dying through to gambling reform and the preservation of Anglo-Christian culture.
The church was full, with a mix of parishioners from local churches, along with friends and party supporters of the candidates.
It’s telling that so far all the Bass candidates in this election – and the previous one – come from Bass Coast rather than Cardinia Shire or the City of Casey at the other end of the electorate.
With the Liberal candidate Rochelle Halstead a late withdrawal, One Nation’s Nikole Shellekens found herself a lone conservative voice holding the fort against three progressive candidates: Chris Buckingham (Labor), Chris Jobe (Victorian Socialists) and Mat Morgan (Greens candidate for the Upper House seat of Eastern Victoria, who was filling in for Sophie Thorn).
A lively exchange of views made for an interesting night. Each of the candidates had a committed support team but there was mostly appreciative applause even for views with which listeners disagreed.
The exception was Nikole Schellekens’ explanation of why One Nation proposed to repeal the treaty between the Victorian Government and First Nations people, which prompted cries of “Shame! Shame!” from the floor.
The forum moderator the Reverend Graham Liersch called for order. “We're in the Lord's house. Let's be respectful. please give respect to the speakers. Your decision is at the ballot box.”
The first five questions came from church leaders and tested candidates on LGBTQI+ conversion, faith-based schools’ rights and recruitment practices, gambling reforms, voluntary assisted dying and social housing.
Fortunately for the candidates they had advance notice of the church-based questions before the floor was open to questions from the audience.
Question 1
In light of ongoing reviews into conversion practices legislation, what approach will you take to ensure the law provides clear, practical boundaries that prevent harm while supporting the freedom of faith communities to offer traditional pastoral care and prayer?
Question 2
With regard to faith-based schools and institutions, how will your policy framework respect the distinct character and foundational beliefs of these institutions, enabling them to recruit and operate in alignment with their core purpose?
Question 3
How will you reduce gambling harm in Victoria, including harm caused by poker machines?
Question 4
Victoria is preparing to expand access to voluntary assisted dying in 2027.
Question 5
How will you increase the supply of social and affordable housing in Victoria, and what will you do to enable churches and Christian charities to partner with government and use their land, resources, and community networks to help provide more homes for Victorians in need?
QUESTIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE
1. Will you commit to funding the Wonthaggi Hospital expansion?
Chris Buckingham (Labor): Stage two of the hospital redevelopment, including pathology, mortuary and pharmacy facilities, are under way. Labor has promised an expanded emergency department if re-elected.
Nikole Schellekens (One Nation): Committed to funding already promised but staffing is the bigger problem. One Nation proposes a local education precinct to train health and allied health workers.
Mat Morgan (Greens): The Greens support funding public healthcare. Workforce shortages should be addressed through free education, support for migrant workers and affordable public housing for essential workers.
Chris Jobe (Victorian Socialists): Supported the expansion and argued that privatisation had made essential services more expensive and less effective.
2. Tell us your position on treaty and how you will continue to respect our journey alongside First Nations to ensure respectful relationships continue?
Chris Jobe: “A treaty should have happened 250 odd years ago.” Compensation is also needed for what has been taken from Indigenous people.
Mat Morgan: “This is one of the best things the Victorian Parliament has achieved in the last term. It had bipartisan support for that entire time.” He accused the Coalition of turning it into a political football.
Chris Buckingham: Supported treaty and urged people to read the Yoorrook Justice Commission's Truth Be Told report before forming an opinion.
Nikole Schellekens: One Nation would repeal the legislation, claiming this would save $60 million annually. Argued all Australians should be treated equally under the law while saying she respected Aboriginal culture and history.
3. What do your parties plan to do to address the epidemic of violence against women happening in Victoria?
Chris Buckingham: Said the whole community had a responsibility to challenge prejudice, discrimination and everyday disrespect towards women.
Mat Morgan: Called for secure, long-term funding for women's health and support services. Identified gambling as a major driver of family and domestic violence.
Nikole Schellekens: Outlined One Nation's law-and-order approach, including more police, tougher bail conditions, electronic monitoring of serious offenders and faster trials.
Chris Jobe: Called for properly funded and publicly run community legal and crisis services, emergency accommodation and education.
4. What is your party's position on abortion, especially late-term abortions?
Chris Buckingham: Supported a woman's right to choose, describing abortion as healthcare and questioning the use of the term "late-term abortion" without a clear definition.
Mat Morgan: Said abortion was healthcare, that late-term abortions were generally undertaken to save women's lives. Services should be free and publicly accessible.
Nikole Schellekens: Outlined One Nation's pro-life policy, including reducing gestational limits, banning gender-selective abortion, introducing counselling and safeguards, and strengthening doctors' conscientious objection rights.
5. What are each party's plan for Victoria's current debt crisis? Is there a plan to plateau or reduce the debt?
Chris Jobe: Proposed higher taxes on the wealthiest individuals and corporations, including a land tax on the most expensive properties.
Chris Buckingham: Acknowledged Victoria's $160 billion net debt but argued it had funded long-term infrastructure, including hospitals, schools and public transport.
Mat Morgan: Said Labor had built infrastructure but failed to raise enough revenue to pay for it. Proposed a 0.1 per cent levy on the big four banks and higher taxes on gambling companies.
Nikole Schellekens: Said the state could not continue borrowing and spending at its current rate. Proposed cancelling the Suburban Rail Loop, reducing government bureaucracy, abolishing treaty and publishing weekly expenditure information online.
6. Bass Coast used to be a great place to live, raise a family and do business. What three things will your party do to make it great again?
Mat Morgan: Remove pokies from pubs; make public transport free; establish a public supermarket offering groceries at a 30 per cent discount.
Nikole Schellekens: Focus on hospital funding and staffing, roads and public transport, protecting agricultural land, supporting farmers and small businesses, tourism and housing affordability.
Chris Buckingham: Build community strength, respect for others and environmental protection.
Chris Jobe: Protect Western Port and the Western Port Woodlands, cheaper public services and turn the old Wonthaggi Tech School into a community hub.
7. How do you propose to mitigate against the challenges of climate change?
Mat Morgan: Called for publicly owned renewable energy and criticised Labor's support for new gas projects and the influence of fossil fuel companies.
Chris Buckingham: Defended Labor's renewable energy transition, rejected nuclear power as expensive and impractical, and pointed to offshore wind in Bass Strait and rooftop solar.
Nikole Schellekens: Opposed Victoria's net zero targets and argued renewable projects should not proceed across agricultural land without farmers' consent. Favoured adaptation, including bushfire management, flood planning and early warning systems.
Chris Jobe: Called for an end to fossil fuel donations to the major parties.
8. How will you continue to prioritise Anglo-Christian values that Australia was built on?
Chris Buckingham: Challenged the premise of the question, emphasising Australia's First Nations history and its multicultural and multi-faith character.
Chris Jobe: Rejected the idea that Australia was built on Anglo-Christian values, pointing to the growth in people reporting no religious affiliation in the census.
Mat Morgan: Described Anglo-Christian values as one chapter in a much longer history, acknowledging their influence while emphasising First Nations history and multiculturalism.
Nikole Schellekens: Said British heritage and Christian traditions had strongly influenced Australian institutions, and argued that individual responsibility, compassion, freedom of conscience and equality before the law should be preserved.
9. If you lose, where will your preferences go?
Victorian Socialists will preference from left to right. Mat Morgan ruled out recommending preferences for anyone supporting a return to native forest logging (One Nation). Chris Buckingham said One Nation would be last on his ticket.
Nikole Schellekens said she realised the other candidates would preference her last. “My plan is to win on primary votes. If we get about 35%, we'll be right. That's the plan.”
BEST QUOTES OF THE NIGHT
“This whole line around, ‘Oh, we've spent our children's inheritance as a government because...’ No, we've built our children's inheritance through schools, hospitals, trains, and public transport. Let's not be ashamed of that.”
"We believe that Australians should all be treated equally under the law and that government shouldn't divide people according to race or ancestry."
"This is one of the leading causes of family and domestic violence in our communities, and we know how to tackle it. Let's get on and do it, and stop voting for politicians who take gambling industry donations."
"Protect Western Port and the Western Port Woodlands … Socialism will make things way cheaper, more effective … and let’s save the old Wonnie Tech and make a community hub."
Finally, from Chris Jobe, to end the night: “I'm a little bit tired. It's been a big week. Good night, everyone. Socialists!”