Casi does business in debate
AN LNP candidate was the clear winner among those who attended the Townsville Chamber of Commerce’s state election debate on Tuesday.
The audience were asked to submit an exit poll rating who they believed won the debate and LNP Townsville candidate Casie Scott won the biggest slice of the vote with 33.87 per cent of the available points given to the 18 candidates.
ALP Thuringowa MP Aaron Harper was second with 11.29 per cent of the vote, followed by 9.35 per cent for LNP Mundingburra hopeful Matthew Derlagen ( 9.34 per cent).
Chamber chief executive Marie- Claude Brown said the debate was a worthwhile exercise and gave the candidates the opportunity to express their views to a wider audience.
“It also gave them a chance to practise the art of debating,” she said. “North Queensland deserves representatives who can think on their feet, make good arguments and represent us. And that’s what the debate was about.”
Ms Brown described Monday’s event as “great theatre”.
“It was fantastic to see the candidates in that situation,” she said. “It was a real debate and they had different ideas and opinions.”
Ms Brown said the chamber was apolitical but was committed to local businesses.
“We wanted our audience and members to understand what the candidates had to say to the business community in general,” she said.