Labor candidate Bernard Fitzsimon, The Greens’ Janelle Bicknell and independents Scott Munro and Kevin Duffy faced questions from the 80 people at the Orange Senior Citizens Centre.

Absent Nationals candidate Scott Barrett said he had a meeting regarding funding for the region, Shooter, Fishers and Farmers candidate Phil Donato said he had a family engagement, while a spokesman for the Christian Democratic Party’s Dianne Decker said she had not been invited.

The remaining candidates addressed questions on palliative care, water security, strategic planning for Mount Canobolas and Orange Airport and the resettlement of 6000 Syrian refugees in NSW.

Mr Fitzsimon said he supported re-homing refugees in Orange provided support services were implemented.

“We’re talking about dumping people in an area starved of services that doesn’t have decent public housing and [English] teachers are gone and haven’t been replaced,” he said.

On palliative care, Ms Bicknell said people wanted to die at home but few did.

“Hospitals should be for the acute patients – palliative care is about spiritual care as well as medical care,” she said.

On water security and the proposed Cranky Rock Dam, Mr Munro said he supported dams, recalling a drought several years ago when his property’s five dams dried out and he lost $60,000-worth of cattle.

“Now we have 35 dams and during the last drought when Suma Park Dam almost dried out, we had water,” he said.

Speaking on strategic planning, Cr Duffy said he opposed both an industrial rezoning proposal at Orange Airport and a mountain bike track at Mount Canobolas.

“Blayney specialises in industrial land and there’s other places available,” he said of the airport.

Two more forums have been organised in the lead-up to the November 12 poll – November 2 at Molong Community Hall, November 7 at Orange Ex-Services’ Club from 7pm. 

The Canowindra Business Chamber has challenged candidates to address the Canowindra Community Hall on October 26 at 6pm – candidates are urged to contact president Caddie Marshall on 0499 773 132.