Leaders face last grilling

WILL Hodgman and Rebecca White will front the people in a last-ditch attempt to secure undecided votes with the state election just three days away.

The Liberal and Labor party leaders will go head-tohead at the Hobart Town Hall tonight as part of the Mercury/ Sky News People’s Forum, where undecided voters will have a last chance to ask Mr Hodgman and Ms White the questions they want answered.

The forum will be broadcast across the country from 8pm, moderated by Sky News political editor and moderator David Speers. The combatants will then be judged by the crowd through an exit poll.

At the last election’s people’s forum, the public awarded the victory to then premier Lara Giddings, while Sky News host Kieren Gilbert scored the contest in favour of Mr Hodgman.

Mr Speers said that with polls predicting that the Liberals would just hold on to a majority by a seat, it would be a fascinating evening for anyone with an interest in the election.

“The best thing about this sort of forum is how unpredictable it can be,” he said.

“Undecided voters usually ask about issues very personal to them. It may not be an issue the media has covered during the campaign.”

“This forum will give voters a great opportunity to see how the leaders go when taken off script and confronted by real people.”

Coverage of the event will begin at 4pm with Mercury editor Chris Jones and state political editor David Beniuk joining Mr Speers for his political program Speers Live.

Mr Jones said the forum would allow the people — rather than the politicians — to set the agenda.

“I’m excited the Mercury can host this important event with Sky News in the critical last week of campaigning,” Mr Jones said.

Following the forum, at 9pm Mr Speers will dissect the results with Paul Murray on Paul Murray Live where they will examine the responses of Mr Hodgman and Ms White to the issues raised by the people of Tasmania. Mr Jones will then appear on Janine Perrett’s Heads Up.