Counting the cost

By Catherine Watson

BASS candidates have already been grilled on Phillip Island issues and some big ethical questions. On Thursday night, they turned their attention to farming and regional issues at an election forum hosted by the Victorian Farmers Federation.

About 50 farmers and other locals gathered at Grantville Hall to question Victorian Socialists candidate Chris Jobe, Liberal candidate Rochelle Halstead, Greens candidate Sophie Thorn and One Nation candidate Nikole Schellekens.

Labor candidate Chris Buckingham sent his apologies.

The forum was moderated by ABC Gippsland editor Jarrod Whittaker and presented by the Rural Press Club of Victoria.

Ms Schellekens has declined to cost any of her party's policy announcements in the Bass electorate, arguing at each forum that One Nation will not commit to spending until it knows the full financial picture.

“At no point will you hear a dollar figure promised out of my mouth,” she said on Thursday. “We know that the books are cooked, and we've got to do a full audit.”

Ms Halstead responded that the state budget was a publicly available document that is released every year with the budget.

“The Liberals do know we are going to have some surprises in there, but you can't go to an election and not tell your community exactly what you plan to do and hide behind the fact that you don't know what the books look like. The books are there. Do the homework.”

Ms Schellekens countered: “I think when we're looking at $160 billion debt and a Liberal government that's promising $9.1 billion of campaign promises, then they're telling me to do their homework ... I think that's a fairly cheap thing to do.” 

Housing and agricultural land

The first question, from moderator Jarrod Whittaker, was how candidates would balance the need for additional homes with protecting agricultural land.

Chris Jobe supported building public housing in consultation and collaboration with local communities.

Nikole Schellekens called for greater use of underutilised government land and changes to make it easier to rent out a second dwelling or spare room, with fewer taxes, charges and red tape for landlords and landholders. She said farmland should remain appropriately zoned and protected, noting that 70 per cent of land in the Bass electorate was used for agriculture.

Sophie Thorn supported the Victorian Farmers Federation's proposal for a land use and food security commissioner. Tracking the loss of farmland could help investigate changes in land use and address concerns that renewable energy projects were taking up agricultural land rather than housing.

Rochelle Halstead outlined the Liberal Party's proposed Agricultural Land and Food Security Bill, which would require agricultural and economic impact assessments for major energy and transmission projects, protect productive farmland and food security, and safeguard farmers' property rights.

Fair prices for farmers

Candidates were asked how they would ensure farmers were properly compensated for their labour and produce while also protecting consumers.

Rochelle Halstead said supermarket practices had harmed farmers but considered the issue more suited to federal action. She suggested enabling farmers to sell their own produce and form cooperatives, while reducing red tape.

Sophie Thorn outlined the Greens' plan for 10 publicly owned supermarkets across Victoria, selling basic grocery items grown entirely by Australian farmers. The party says prices for those items would be up to 30 per cent lower.

Nikole Schellekens pointed to inflation and rising costs, including diesel, transport and wages, as major pressures on farmers. She again called for an audit of the state's finances before further spending commitments were made.

Chris Jobe called for price limits on essential goods, arguing that supermarket price gouging was not being adequately addressed. “We have to tighten our belts so the billionaires can make more money. That doesn't make sense.”

A follow-up question to Ms Thorn asked whether the Greens' cheaper supermarkets would mean farmers received lower prices for their produce.

“Our plan will protect the farmers,” she assured the questioner.

Agricultural extension officers

Asked whether they would restore funding for agricultural extension officers, candidates offered varying degrees of support.

Chris Jobe acknowledged he did not know enough about extension officers, but connected the issue to education, skills and technology.

Nikole Schellekens supported their role in sharing information about farming methods and technology, but said the state's financial position needed to be addressed before funding commitments could be made.

Sophie Thorn supported funding expert advice and the promotion of best practice, including helping farmers adopt new technology and address biosecurity risks.

Rochelle Halstead said she could not commit to additional funding but would advocate for farmers' needs.

Protecting the Western Port Woodlands

Candidates were asked whether they supported an interim Environmental Significance Overlay (ESO) for the Western Port Woodlands and would work towards securing one in Parliament.

Rochelle Halstead said she had supported the proposal through council and would advocate for protection, but could not make a commitment without consulting party leadership.

Sophie Thorn said the Greens were committed to protecting the woodlands and the wider Western Port Bay area.

Nikole Schellekens supported appropriate protection and said she would advocate to the State Government, but would not commit to a particular mechanism until its implications for businesses, private property, agriculture, public access and the wider community were understood.

Chris Jobe gave an unequivocal yes.

A regional plan for Western Port

Asked whether they would support a Western Port Region Strategic Management Plan, candidates were generally supportive, although some were unfamiliar with its details.

Chris Jobe said he would advocate for the plan, while acknowledging that the Victorian Socialists might be in minority government or on the backbench.

Nikole Schellekens supported the plan in principle, but said the next steps should be a business case, costing and assessment of what could be delivered.

Sophie Thorn said she was not familiar enough with the plan to make a commitment but would investigate it further.

Rochelle Halstead was open to further discussion about whether and how the plan could be achieved.

“Port Phillip Bay already has one. And I don't understand why we don't have one for Western Port Bay.”

Victoria's debt

Asked how they would reduce Victoria's debt, candidates put forward sharply different approaches.

Chris Jobe said aggressively taxing the extremely wealthy would provide enough revenue to fund the initiatives needed to improve people's lives.

Nikole Schellekens said One Nation's policy was to open the books through a full forensic audit of the state's finances, exposing waste, duplication and unnecessary bureaucracy.

Sophie Thorn proposed reducing taxes on farmers and ordinary people while increasing taxes on banks and large corporations. She said a 0.1 per cent levy on the five big banks would raise $3 billion, while a 25 per cent tax on casinos and gambling would raise another $2 billion.

Rochelle Halstead said the Liberal Party had identified $24 billion in savings over the next decade, including a hiring freeze on back-office public servants. “We're not talking about sacking people.”

Fixing regional roads

Candidates were asked what their parties would do about the state of regional roads, with almost half of roads managed by the state government rated poor or very poor.

Rochelle Halstead said the Liberals had committed $5 billion to fixing one million potholes, but cautioned that regional road repairs required more than temporary patching.

Sophie Thorn called for road maintenance to be brought back into public hands, cutting out corporate profits and reinvesting the savings in repairs. She also proposed an urgent inquiry to provide a roadmap for improvement.

Nikole Schellekens called for regional road repairs to be properly funded and carried out by people who knew how to do the job. She proposed a public “pothole portal” to track spending.

Chris Jobe also wanted road maintenance, upkeep and construction returned to public hands. “There used to be a Department of Roads once upon a time.”

Emergency services levy

Asked whether they would repeal the Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund levy, the Liberal and One Nation candidates were unequivocal.

Rochelle Halstead said: “Definitely.”

Nikole Schellekens said: “Absolutely.”

Sophie Thorn supported increased funding for emergency services but opposed making ordinary people pay for it. “We are not comfortable with making everyday people pay for it. We'd rather see the banks and casinos paying their fair share instead.”

Chris Jobe also supported abolishing the levy. “Why we have volunteers doing the work of saving lives and protecting properties just blows my mind. Let's fund it properly from billionaire corporations, and let's fix our system.”

Council rates

The final question asked whether candidates would change what was described as the broken rating system.

Rochelle Halstead supported a review of local government and the Local Government Act, which she said had been amended repeatedly. “It has become a big ball of spaghetti.”

Nikole Schellekens said a review of local government would be a priority, again pointing to cost shifting from state government to councils and councils becoming involved in activities she believed they should not be.