Mackillop voters hear directly from candidates at open forum

This story was contributed and originally published by the SE Voice.

Issues such as road maintenance, rare earth mining and housing have come to the fore at a Mackillop electorate forum at the Naracoorte Town Hall on Tuesday night.

Liberal-turned-independent MP Nick McBride outlined his case for office at the March 21 state election, along with four of the record eight other candidates.


Also present on stage were Mark Braes (Labor), Jonathan Pietzsch (Nationals), Bek Rosser (Liberal) and Jason Virgo (One Nation).

It was the first of three sitting election forums to be staged this month by the South Australian Forest Products Association (SAFPA), and 50 interested persons sat in the public gallery.


According to the SAFPA, its three forums provide an important platform for voters to hear directly from candidates and understand where they stand on the issues that matter most to the Limestone Coast.

Tuesday’s forum lasted 90 minutes and was moderated by SAFPA chief executive Nathan Paine.


Each candidate was permitted to make an opening and closing address.


In between, much of the forum was devoted to questions-in-common posed by Mr Paine.

For example, he asked where the MacKillop electorate office would be located post-election, and all five candidates committed to retaining it in Naracoorte.


In the weeks leading up to the forum, the SAFPA had invited questions from the public which could possibly be put to the candidates.

However, no questions were permitted from the floor at the meeting.

The commitment to erect an additional 27 mobile phone towers in the region was both lauded and criticised.

Mr McBride pointed to his successful advocacy for the towers, but Ms Rosser said the planning process had taken too long.

There was praise from Mr McBride for Wattle Range Council for its successful re-building of the Southern Ports Highway at Beachport on behalf of the state government.

Mr Braes pointed to the strong interest in the region by Premier Peter Malinauskas, as evidenced by his 16 visits since taking office.


Among the local government identities in attendance were Naracoorte Lucindale Mayor Patrick Ross; one of his predecessors, David Hood; and Wattle Range Mayor Des Noll.

The width of the political spectrum was evident by the presence of two staffers from the Adelaide office of federal Trade Minister Don Farrell, Liberal upper house leader Nicola Centofanti and Legislative Council independent candidate Faith Coleman.

Also sitting in the audience were Robe Liberal Party president Jacqui Bateman and former Liberal Party federal executive member Lachy Haines.

Candidates for Mackillop in 2026

1. Jason Virgo (One Nation), a security guard and Mount Gambier councillor
2. Nick McBride (independent), a pastoralist and the sitting MP
3. Cathy Olsson (Greens), a former speech pathologist with a family farm at Padthaway
4. Joanna Day (Australian Family), a relative of party director Bob Day
5. Steven Davies (independent)
6. Jonathan Pietzsch (Nationals) a farmer and the acting Mayor of the Coorong council
7. Tim Green (Legalise Cannabis)
8. Rebekah Rosser (Liberal), a Robe business owner
9. Mark Braes (Labor), a former Wattle Range mayor