CANDIDATES for Ripon faced business and community leaders at a forum in Stawell on Thursday.
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Hosted by Stawell Biz, the forum asked candidates four sighted questions.
They were asked to pick two critical areas for Stawell, excluding mining and the Western Highway.
Labor candidate Daniel McGlone nominated youth unemployment and vocational training.
Nationals candidate Scott Turner said job creation and tackling the ice methamphetamine problem were at the top of his list for Stawell.
Greens candidate Rod May said helping the renewable energy industry and supporting Stawell as a hub for food and agriculture were two critical issues.
Liberal candidate Louise Staley said building on Stawell’s key strengths such as tourism was important, along with doing more for aged care.
The candidates were asked what they would do to combat the long-standing issues caused by a massive tyre dump, which has long been seen as a health and environmental hazard for the town.
Ms Staley said she consulted with Environment Minister Ryan Smith, who said a risk assessment was being finalised and would determine who was responsible for the problem.
“We need to find a solution that uses them in some way that will require partnerships between business and government,” she said.
“My party is very committed to working through that and getting to a solution that gets rid of these tyres.”
Mr McGlone praised work done by the Northern Grampians Shire Council and said a recycling project was the way forward.
Mr May said the tyres needed to be shredded, which he calculated would take a year at a cost of about $300,000.
“Let’s look at it as a potential resource,” he said.
Mr Turner said he agreed with the three other candidates.
On education, Ms Staley argued the Federal Government’s de-regulation of university fees would benefit Stawell’s youth, as more scholarships would be available.
Mr McGlone said more investment was needed, pointing to Labor’s commitment of $510 million for government schools and $320 million for TAFE.
“I tend to think you pull the pin on funding, you pull the pin on education,” he said.
Mr May said the Greens supported free education and called for TAFE to be fixed.
Mr Turner said there needed to be a great focus on pathways for secondary students.
“My young fella is now in year nine – he’s looking towards the future,” he said.
“We’ve got to look at that age group, where they’re coming through schooling.”
Candidates were also asked for a project their parties would look to to collaborate with the community on.
Mr McGlone and Mr May said they were both interested in the dark matter project.
Ms Staley said the Grampians Peak Trail project was brilliant.
Mr Turner said he would make the Western Highway duplication a priority.
Country Alliance candidate Trevor Domaschenz did not attend the forum.