Corangamite Liberal candidate Stephanie Asher misses voters forum after campaigning in Armstrong Creek

Corangamite federal election candidates have fronted voters in Torquay where they’ve shared their ideas to tackle cost of living.

FOUR candidates vying for votes at the federal election in Corangamite have made their pitches on how they will tackle the rising cost of living.

About 50 people attended a forum at The Sands resort in Torquay on Thursday night to hear Labor’s Libby Coker, the Greens’ Alex Marshall, the Animal Justice Party’s Meg Watkins and the Liberal Democrats’ Paul Barker speak.

Liberal candidate for Corangamite Stephanie Asher, One Nation’s Luke Sorensen, the UAP’s Abou-Zeid and Jean-Marie D’Argent from the Derryn Hinch’s Justice Party did not participate in the forum.

It follows a frosty reception Ms Asher, who was out campaigning in Armstrong Creek on Thursday, got at forum in Ocean Grove last week.

Corangamite federal election candidates L to R: Stephen Juhasz, Paul Barker, Alex Marshall, Meg Watkins and Libby Coker. Picture: Chad Van Estrop.

At the forum Ms Coker said: “Labor has a responsible plan to take pressure off families, including lowering power bills and making childcare cheaper. We’ll also put upward pressure on wages by creating more secure jobs with better pay.”

Mr Barker said the Liberal Democrats would take pressure off cost of living expenses by pledging to increase the tax-free threshold to $40,000.

He said a 20 per cent tax on income above $40,000 should be implemented.

Ms Watkins said lifting minimum wages to keep up with cost of living expenses was “a pretty basic and obvious start”.

Ms Marshall said childcare should be free, and that public transport should also be free or paid for at a low cost.

Corangamite federal election candidates L to R: Paul Barker, Libby Coker, Alex Marshall and Meg Watkins. Picture: Chad Van Estrop.

She said welfare payments, including the disability, carers and aged pensions, should be lifted to $88 a day.

Mr Barker said: “Why are we in this situation? Is it because of loose monetary policy? Is it because of high regulation, high taxation?

“If you look at the figures, Victorians end up paying about 50 per cent of what they earn in taxes.”

The candidates were also asked how the next federal government should tackle climate change and carbon emissions.

Mr Barker said: “We need to remove the prohibitions on nuclear energy to create a viable, safe and reliable energy source. We need to understand that there are trade-offs that need to be made.”

Ms Coker said Labor would reduce carbon emissions by 43 per cent of 2005 levels by 2030.

Ms Marshall said thermal coal should be phased out by 2030, and no more subsidies should be given to fossil fuels industry.

Ms Watkins said her party wanted to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2035.

“The Animal Justice Party is prepared to take action on the climate emergency. We’re prepared to be bold, we’re prepared to tackle all causes of global heating,” she said.

In a pitch to voters, Ms Marshall said: “There is a myth that voting for the Greens is a wasted vote. In the last election if 828 people changed their votes, the Greens would have been in the balance of power.”

Using her pitch to voters, Ms Watkins said: “We’re fed up and I’m speaking up. It’s time for a world where people and animals can live in harmony­. Your vote is your power so don’t waste it.”

Ms Coker said: “I hear the same thing every day when I speak with members of communities – they can’t afford their bills, they can’t afford their rent, they can’t afford childcare fees because everything under a Morrison government is going up, except your wages.”

Originally published as Corangamite Liberal candidate Stephanie Asher misses voters forum after campaigning in Armstrong Creek