At a recent election forum in Ripon, Victoria, approximately 200 people gathered to hear from seven candidates vying for the marginal seat. The debate centered around contentious issues like renewable energy transmission lines and state taxes, with particular focus on the Western Renewables Link and VNI West projects. Nationals candidate Jo Armstrong advocated for canceling these initiatives before the election, while Green candidate Tim Drylie emphasized better compensation for residents during Victoria's transition to renewables.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-04,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
At a candidates' forum in the Victorian seat of Ripon, around 200 people gathered to discuss key issues ahead of the November 28 election. The event focused on contentious topics such as the Western Renewables Link (WRL) and VNI West transmission lines, the emergency services levy, and the state of Victoria's roads. Sitting Labor member Martha Haylett did not attend due to a family matter, while One Nation’s candidate Donna Buxton was also absent. The forum highlighted regional voters' concerns about these issues in what is anticipated to be one of the most significant state elections in recent years for the Labor party.
Written for “Election Forum Debate On Infrastructu…” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The model judged this article politically coded and scored it -0.25, but all 3 of its quote(s) are attributed speech - words the article quotes from someone, not the article's own narration, so the score is not published.
Written under an earlier scoring contract, which gave a paragraph
rather than checkable quotes. Re-analysing this article replaces it.
Leaning score withheld for article 56114: attributed speech only · logged 2026-10-04
In short:
Abut 200 people have attended a forum of election candidates for the Victorian seat of Ripon.
asserted
people → attend → Ripon
The state election is shaping up to be one of the most extraordinary in years and the seat, which has been held by the major parties for 50 years, is tipped to prove challenging for Labor to retain.
asserted
Labor → shape → years
Victorians will go to the polls on November 28.
asserted
Victorians → go → November
The forum was seen as a temperature check of the regional electorates ahead of what is shaping up to be one of the most extraordinary state elections in years.
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what → see → years
Seven candidates attended the forum, but noticeably absent was sitting Labor member, Martha Haylett, who won the seat in 2022 on a tight margin.
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who → attend → margin
Ms Haylett said an "urgent family matter came up" and she could not attend.
uncertain
she → say → ?
More than 200 people attended the afternoon event and the debate became heated as passionate questions were asked from the floor.
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questions → attend → floor
Concerns were raised about the state government's plans for the Western Renewables Link (WRL) and the VNI West transmission line, along with the emergency services levy and the state of Victoria's roads.
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Concerns → raise → roads
Nationals candidate Jo Armstrong said she was opposed to the renewable energy push.
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she → say → push
"I support canning the WRL, personally, but the Coalition's policy at this point — I'm going to be completely clear — is to review it," she said.
"
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she → support → it
I'm fighting for what you all want, and that is cancel it before the election."
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that → fight → election
Tim Drylie, one of two Greens candidates, said residents needed to be better compensated for Victoria's transition to renewable energy.
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residents → say → energy
"We're not seeing that enough at the moment," he said.
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he → see → moment
"[People] need to be empowered to make decisions around the renewable transition."
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People → need → transition
Liberal candidate Megan Read, a Skipton farmer, also voiced concerns about VNI West.
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Read → voice → West
"We don't need farmers chaining themselves to their gates just to protect their land.
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farmers → need → land
That's just absolutely disgusting," she said.
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she → say → ?
"I have walked this journey for 20 years …
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I → walk → years
we were fighting the same proponent for a wind farm …
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we → fight → farm
I cannot see people go through the same thing."
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people → see → thing
The crowd booed when the Greens candidates began with a Welcome to Country, with some telling them to leave.
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some → boo → them
For 50 years the seat of Ripon has flipped back and forth between the major parties and is widely considered one of the rural seats Labor will find difficult to hold at the upcoming election.
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Labor → flip → election
The electorate covers areas to the west and north of Ballarat as well as the towns of Ararat, Beaufort and Maryborough.
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electorate → cover → Ararat
Agriculture, manufacturing and healthcare are some of the larger industries of employment in the seat but it also has a large proportion of retirees.
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it → have → retirees
There are farmers in Victoria's north in support for the renewable projects, with about 40 per cent of landowners allowing survey access on their properties.
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cent → be → properties
In Ballarat on Sunday night One Nation leader Pauline Hanson attending a party fundraiser was met by protesters in the main street chanting "Racists out".
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Hanson → attend → Racists
Police moved protesters on.
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Police → move → protesters
Victorians will go to the polls on November 28.
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Victorians → go → November
The Aporia