Voters set the tone for ‘feisty’ Sky News/Herald Sun People’s Forum
When Matthew Guy and Daniel Andrews shook hands they joked about having waited for that friendly moment all day. You could immediately sense it was going to be on for young and old. And it was, writes Matt Johnston.
Opinion
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When Matthew Guy and Daniel Andrews shook hands at the beginning of their biggest test of the campaign they joked about having waited for that friendly moment all day.
As a viewer, you could immediately sense it was going to be on for young and old.
Host David Speers summed it up well in closing: it was feisty.
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The voters set the tone, and the two leaders followed.
It was personal, and there was passion.
The questions were emotion-charged, and the answers often were too.
The undecided voters told stories of difficult child births, and of police who have “gone down” with mental health issues.
Both men squirmed at times, especially when things got extra feisty.
Andrews was thrown off guard early on the subject of violent crime, and found himself having to explain why dead terrorist Hassan Khalif Shire Ali was bailed by police.
Later, he stridently defended anti-bullying program Safe Schools, which Guy said he would replace but wouldn’t directly criticise.
Guy occasionally freelanced slightly on policy, backing free TAFE and almost committing to a mental health royal commission (but not quite).
The range of questions from the 100 undecided voters was vast, going from crime to roads to autism to TAFE and everything in between.
They weren’t taking spin lightly, with many demanding a second go at the microphone.
The unflappable Spears had raised a sweat by the end of the hour.
Things got personal from Matthew Guy, who was wearing a neat navy suit and dark blue tie.
We heard about his schooling and teachers, his cousin in Eastern Europe, and even his wife’s waters breaking.
It was a side many voters haven’t seen of the opposition leader, who seemed pretty relaxed for most of the night.
Andrews was in his standard “relaxed Dan” attire — blazer and open shirt with dark chinos.
Both men got stuck into each other when they judged the time was right, and spoke over one another at times.
Andrews cruised on education and health, but got defensive on crime.
Guy cruised on crime and infrastructure, but sounded less sure on health.
With those broad areas effectively the battleground for this election, that wasn’t necessarily surprising.
What was surprising was the intensity of this debate, in the second-most marginal seat in Victoria held on a wafer-thin margin by Labor.
Four years ago the Herald Sun and Sky News hosted a similar forum with 100 undecided voters.
It seemed more sedate, with friendly vet Dr Denis Napthine up against fellow country boy Dan Andrews.
Perhaps it’s a comment on where modern politics is heading, particularly in the Trump era.
It also shows why the contest is so close in Frankston and other outer suburban seats of Melbourne.
The election on Saturday will be a scrap, but Andrews won’t care if he gets the popular vote — as he did at the forum on Wednesday night.
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