NOTRE DAME TO HOST FEDERAL CANDIDATES DEBATE

EXCLUSIVE: NOTRE Dame University will host a federal candidates debate on April 15 without the theatrics of its state election debate in which candidates declined to attend because they did not feel welcome.
Executive dean Martin Drum confirmed today the debate leading up to the May 3 election would be held at Tannock Hall where the state candidates debate was held on February 19.
Invitations have yet to be sent to the candidates which include sitting Labor member for Fremantle Josh Wilson, Greens Amy Warne, Liberal Party Tait Marston, Australian Citizens Party John Bird, Socialist Alliance Josh Last, One Nation Hannah Mariner and teal independent Kate Hulett.
Co-organisers will include the Fremantle Society and Fremantle Network and Fremantle Herald editor Steve Grant will be asked to MC.
“I intend to ask him because he has done one before,” Professor Drum told StreetWise. “I thought he was great and really fair. He’s a journalist so that’s his business, that’s his job to be fair and impartial.”
Impartial? How so when the Herald is expected to report on the debate?
“How is that not a conflict of interest?” StreetWise asked.
“I’m comfortable with that and I think it would be a good fit. I would be comfortable with you Carmelo,” he said.
“And I would politely refuse by saying, ‘I can’t Martin because I will be reporting on it’. What if I criticised the event?”
StreetWise called out the organisers on February 28 at https://www.streetwisemedia.com.au/candidates-debate-offends-catholic-values/ after members of the audience complained to Notre Dame about holding the offensive public event in a Catholic hall. Media who attended missed the offence or ignored it.
Professor Drum said the Fremantle Chamber of Commerce will not be directly involved in the debate after CEO Chrissie Maus made a meal of the state candidates debate described as a tacky game show in which absent candidates were ridiculed and replaced with Halloween props, a seagull and fake marijuana joint.
Ms Maus told StreetWise after the February 19 debate: “The VC has spoken to me since, advising he enjoyed the light-hearted fun and thanked me very much for an entertaining evening.”
The Fremantle Society was put forward by former Fremantle councillor Marija Vujcic after she met Professor Drum to raise concerns over the February 19 debate debacle. Ms Vujcic wrote to the vice-chancellor Francis Campbell to complain about Ms Maus’ performance including the frequent use of the ‘F’ word.
“I had a good chat with Marija. She felt the format last time wasn’t ideal and I accept that,” he said. “This one is probably going to be little bit more focused on questions from the floor. People come to hear from the candidates.”
Mr Dowson told StreetWise the Society had planned to run its own debate but, “I think Marija got in their ear and stirred the pot as a good strong Catholic”.
He said the key aim with the federal candidates debate is that everyone feels welcome and everybody turns up. Four of the eight candidates invited by Notre Dame to the state election debate preferred to stay home because of what they perceived as a ‘left wing gang club’.
“It has to be a level playing field,” Mr Dowson explained. “The focus should be on how we do we get more money for Fremantle and what is the council doing in terms of advocacy. Where’s their wish list?”
Additional stories https://www.streetwisemedia.com.au/uni-considers-traditional-political-debates/ and https://www.streetwisemedia.com.au/candidates-question-notre-dame-role/.