The forum at the Orange Ex-Services’ Club attracted around 50 guests, many of them farmers from the region.

Incumbent member for Orange Andrew Gee joined country Labor candidate Bernard Fitzsimon and NSW Greens candidate Janelle Bicknell to address a number of questions from the floor, primarily farming related.

Mr Gee took the opportunity to recap the achievement of the National/Liberal parties emphasising the high standard of health infrastructure in the region, highlighting the securing of a second linear accelerator at Orange hospital and a 24-hour helicopter service as wins for his party.

He also stressed his “very good relationship with local farmers” as one of the reasons the region’s campaign to secure funding for fruit-bat netting was so successful.

“My background [in business and law] has prepared me for advocacy and I’ve always gone as hard as I could,” he said.

Mr Gee said he had once considered becoming a farmer but had been told “not to do it”.

He said the key to encouraging people to want a career on the land was to “promote and ensure we have a viable agricultural sector”.

Ms Bicknell acknowledged the relationship between farmers and The Greens hadn’t always been harmonious but said the two groups were increasingly seeing eye-to-eye on a range of issues.

“The tide has turned,” she said.

“The Greens and farmers want to make sure land and water are protected.”

While Ms Bicknell praised Orange’s health facilities and services she said she’d like to see more attention given to palliative care, disability services and homelessness.

On the issue of water security she wanted a greater emphasise on stormwater harvesting, recycled water and effective irrigation.

“A good politician is someone who has life experience, is empathetic and an advocate for their community,” she said.

“The Greens are all about grassroots democracy.”

Mr Fitzsimon, who regards himself as a “rural and regional tragic,” said he was “sick and tired of regional areas being neglected since the election of the O’Farrell government”.

“Farmers deserve a far better deal than what they’re getting,” he said.

Mr Fitzsimon said politicians had become too concerned with “personal power and political influence”.

Following a question about the future of the Department of Primary Industries (DPI) Mr Fitzsimon took the opportunity to lament the demise of a “once proud organisation” that as a result of funding cuts had now become a “shallow resemblance of its former self”.

Mr Gee said DPI staffing had increased in recent years despite “job description changes” and he was committed to ensuring the Local Land Services department was “funded enough to be effective”.

All candidates agreed that there were no benefits to be gained through regional council amalgamations however Mr Gee said “if Orange and Cabonne [Councils] want to work together that’s a good thing”.

The candidates had differing views on why electricity prices were so high with Ms Bicknell blaming the cost of poles and wires, Mr Fitzsimon claiming there needed to be a greater emphasis on renewable energy and Mr Gee saying the big price hikes happened under the previous Labor government.

In the end it was Ms Bicknell’s call to give “farmers the respect they deserve” which finally saw all guests and candidates agree.