The Blue Mountains business community has had its chance to vet the Macquarie candidates at the upcoming Federal election.
Not surprisingly, given the audience, questions about the economy, tax and job creation and the second airport, dominated the evening.
And while many issues involved the entire nation, candidates also had their views canvassed on very local issues - the raising of the Warragamba Dam wall, funding a study so small Mountains businesses can benefit from the Western Sydney Airport at Badgerys Creek and planting trees on Lurline Street in Katoomba.
All of the candidates supported the small business study, as well as federal funds to improve Lurline Street - the pathway to the Three Sisters. But only the Liberal's Sarah Richards wants to see the dam wall raised because of flooding fears to the Hawkesbury.
Labor Susan Templeman said there was a "false assumption" the Hawkesbury region would be saved from flooding by extending the dam wall. "We know as little as 40 per cent of Warragamba can be responsible for flooding because there are six other rivers flowing into the region. There are half a dozen things that have been ignored in the state government quick fix."
The candidates are: Sarah Richards (Liberal), Kingsley Liu (The Greens) Susan Templeman (Labor), Greg Keightley (Animal Justice Party) and Tony Pettitt (Clive Palmer's United Australia Party).
Prior to the meeting, Mr Pettitt told the Gazette he was not happy about the preference deal with Scott Morrison's Liberal party and would have preferred a "split ticket" with options for those voting for him to support Labor or Liberal.
The sitting Labor member was asked to explain her party's policies on negative gearing and taxation. She said fears from estate agents that the grandfathered policy would lead to catastrophe were incorrect. It was more likely to bring more owner occupiers to the Mountains. And 99 per cent of businesses would face the same tax regime under Labor and Liberals, unless they had more than a $50 million turnover, she said.
Ms Richards said she was opposed to axing negative gearing. "Don't get me started on negative gearing, I could talk for an hour," she told the audience. She also questioned the numbers on Labor party policy costings.
Ms Templeman re-iterated her opposition to the second airport, despite her party supporting it. Ms Richards wants the airport to go ahead and said it would be a benefit situated at the foot of the Blue Mountains in terms of tourism, jobs and creating a "30 minute city" for the western parkland zone. She said proper consultation was needed over flight paths.
Greens candidate Kingsley Liu called the airport a "defunct idea", re-iterating the need for high speed rail. He blamed congestion on poor planning. "The airport is the result of a mega city model ... there's not a 30 minute city, it's a one-and-a-half to two hour city radius".
The event was held at the Springwood Sports Club and jointly organised by the Blue Mountains Regional Business Chamber and Springwood, Blaxland and Glenbrook Chambers of Commerce. The event was limited to current financial members of each of the chambers. Fifty people attended the event which was moderated by real estate agent Mark Barton.
Macquarie covers a 4,374 sq.km area from the Hawkesbury and Nepean Rivers in the east, the city councils of Blue Mountains and Hawkesbury border in the west. The Wollemi and Yengo National Parks form the northern border and the Coxs River, Lake Burragorang and Warragamba River form the southern border.
Pre-polling opened on Monday (April 29). Pre-polling is available at 81-83 Katoomba Street. Katoomba and 135-141 Macquarie Road, Springwood. Election day is May 18.
