Candidates set to debate

WITH the Federal election looming, the community is being invited to the Ballarat Central Uniting Church to take part in a candidate debate aiming to inform voters about their choices on 21 May.

The event, set for tomorrow, Thursday 5 May, is being organised by the the church’s social justice committee, and former BCUC council chairwoman Adri Stickland will serve as moderator.

“This night is being run so that people will be able to make informed decisions and act with information,” she said.

“We aren’t telling people who to vote for, but we want them to do so with responsible intent.”

Member for Ballarat, Catherine King, and the city’s Greens candidate John Barnes will be present to speak to residents about their policies on climate change and political integrity as well as local issues.

Eight candidates have been invited, and Ms Stickland said she hopes to get as many of them as possible involved in the discussion.

“I want the people who turn up to at least feel that at least they’ve been heard if they’ve got a specific question,” she said.

The night will be themed around the church’s election document, Our Vision for a Just Australia, which Ms Stickland said outlines their key issues for the country.

“Although we want to keep even-minded, there’s concern for integrity and accountability, the responsible response to climate change and decisions about people in need,” she said.

The forum will run from 5.30pm to 7pm at the Ballarat Central Uniting Church, 103 Lydiard Street South and will be streamed live on the Ballarat Times Facebook page.