The wrap:
Mining, fibre national broadband network, same-sex marriage, education and youth unemployment were the issues in focus on the Capitol Theatre stage in Tamworth on Tuesday.
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Eight of the 10 candidates vying for the seat of New England on July 2 turned out to field questions from a panel of Leader, 88.9FM and Prime7 journalists, as well as questions from the floor.
"I would have liked more information on the cuts to Gonski funding for school kids education, but it was well worth it,” Canberra activist Matthew Armstrong said.
Other attendees, however, felt questions went unanswered.
"I asked a specific question that I didn't think really got answered," Tamworth resident Wal Filicetti said.
"My question was on the drug problem we have in the electorate, and I was more asking what they were going to do for people who already have a problem.
"Most of the answers I got was how to stop people from becoming a problem."
While Greens candidate Mercurius Goldstein took the floor calling for a full-funded TAFE model, Labor's David Ewings promised a full-fibre NBN under a Labor government and Armidale Independent Philip Cox took a stance against mining in Breeza, incumbent New England MP Barnaby Joyce took a macro focus in his introductory statement.
"This election is not just about New England. This election and this seat is most definitely about our nation."
- New England MP, and Deputy Prime Minister, Barnaby Joyce
As the questions opened, asking candidates what their first action post-election would be, the rifts began to open.
Mr Joyce's decentralising plan to move the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) to Armidale, was at the top of his list, drawing criticism from his Labor counterpart, Mr Ewings.
Mr Ewings said 200 APVMA workers were surveyed and "they don't want to come up here".
Meanwhile, Independent candidate Tony Windsor agreed with Mr Goldstein calling for a government-funded TAFE model.
"We have to stop the butchering of TAFE,"
- Independent candidate for New England, Tony Windsor
Online Democracy candidate Robert Walker, from Tenterfield, took to the floor to call for streamlined government and the scrapping of state government, a nation-wide poll to decide the push for marriage equality, and a value-adding export model to boost jobs and industry.
"We have to get to a point where the government protects our industries and penalises other ones coming in," he said.
"It's common sense. Other countries do this; new Zealand does it."
When asked for solutions to youth unemployment, Mr Joyce sighted the government's Pathways scheme to pay small business to employ young people, and to incentivise training.
CountryMinded candidate David Mailler said the NBN would underpin the next generation of jobseekers.
Responding after coming off stage, Mr Cox considered the debate a success.
"It was wonderful to meet all the candidates," he said.
"The broad range of views are systematic of our democracy."
What happened:
Questions from the floor
Earlier:
Candidates respond
Introducing the issues
Candidates were given around 90 seconds to introduce the issues of the election. Among them, mining, water resources, jobs and unemployment, and the NBN made mentions.
Candidates take the stage
As final preparations get underway at the Capitol Theatre in Tamworth's Centrepoint complex, a group brandishing "Billionaires for Barnaby" placards staged a brief protest:
The candidates have just arrived on stage.