The forum was organised by the Westender community newspaper, which is co-owned by Greens candidate Geoff Ebbs. Some in the largely left-leaning crowd heckled Dr Glasson as he stood firm on the federal government's policy of abolishing the carbon tax. “Our argument is that the introduction of a carbon tax is not going to decrease our carbon footprint in Australia or the world,” he said. Continuing a pitch he has used throughout the campaign, Dr Glasson presented himself as the candidate most likely to be effective in a Federal Parliament in which the Coalition has formed government. “In terms of my own party, I believe that if an issue is wrong I will stand up on behalf of my electorate and say very strongly that it's just not on,” he said.

“I've done that to both sides of politics, Labor and Liberal, and I have no hesitation in saying to the people of Griffith that I will stand up for you – after consultation with you, by the way – around the issues that are being addressed by the current government. “If I believe they're wrong, then it's my responsibility to speak up strongly on behalf of you.” Labor candidate Terri Butler said her experience as a labour lawyer, which has come under attack from the LNP, gave her the experience of standing up for the disadvantaged. “I want to be a strong voice for this electorate and I can be,” she said. “And I'm sorry, Bill, but if you want to see how effective someone is when they've got the respect of the Liberal front bench and they've been a long-term local member, then look at [Liberal Murray MP] Sharman Stone.

“If she couldn't influence the government, then why could you?” Ms Stone has publicly slammed her own party's decision not to give $25 million to fruit processor SPC Ardmona, which is in her Goulburn Valley electorate. Dr Glasson was heckled as he left early, which Mr Ebbs acknowledged as he lamented a “two-tier society” that was leaving poor people behind, using an analogy of sealed doors on the lower levels of the Titanic. “I'm sorry that Bill's not here to hear this, because what I want to say to him is that I know that you're a decent man and I'm really sorry you gave him such a hard time leaving the room,” he said. “He is a decent man and he believes that he is doing the right thing, but if he goes to Canberra, he's going to stand there with a party that is smashing the knuckles of the poor as they try to get out of those holds and on to the lifeboat.”

Katter's Australian Party candidate Ray Sawyer said his candidacy was a “point of difference” from the major parties. “Bob Katter's one goal is to bring back fairness and balance,” he said. “…I believe if the current government was fair dinkum about protecting Australian jobs, they would be doing a lot bloody more.” Mr Sawyer said KAP was committed to economic growth, the protection of agricultural land and the retention of public assets. Independent Karel Boele proudly presented himself as the candidate without a preordained position on anything, saying all his votes would be determined via internet polling.

“Where I clearly stand out and differ from the others you're hearing from tonight is I'm the only one who's contracted to vote with the people in Parliament,” he said. “…If 100,000 Australians or 10 per cent of Griffith vote with a clear majority in a particular way on a policy, I have to vote with the people.” The Pirate Party's Melanie Thomas gave the forum a brief history of her party, which was formed in Sweden in 2006 following a clampdown there on internet piracy. “It's a very natural thing for people to share files on the internet,” she said. Ms Thomas said the Pirate Party was committed to civil liberties and would support the establishment of an Australian bill of rights.

The question and answer session threw up several issues that have so far not been a part of the campaign, such as voluntary euthanasia. By show of hands, eight of the remaining nine candidates indicated they supported a person's right to control how they die if they saw fit. The one exception was Family First candidate Christopher Williams, who said all life should be valued. “We don't want a situation where the elderly feel compelled that they have to give up to free up resources for other people,” he said. “We want people to feel secure and valued in themselves.”

Mr Williams kept low key for most of the night and, when he did speak about his pro-life and traditional marriage stance, it met with resistance from the largely progressively minded crowd. His polar opposite, Secular Party candidate Anne Reid, has been placed last on the largely church-backed Family First's how-to-vote cards. Ms Reid said hers was the only party willing to stand up for the principle of separation of church and state. “We stand for policies that are evidence-based and in the long-term public interest,” she said. “…We have governments that continue to subsidise religions through tax exemptions, despite the churches having moved into big business.”

Candidates, particularly those from the major parties, have been keen to present the Griffith byelection as a close thing with none keen to accept favouritism. Except, it seems, for one. “Our polling's showing there's a very real possibility that I will be the next representative in Griffith,” independent candidate Travis Windsor said to a smattering of laughter from the floor. Mr Windsor then threw a grenade into what had been, until that point, cordial proceedings among the candidates, saying both Dr Glasson and Ms Butler represented “the worst” of their parties. But, as far as political gimmicks go, it was hard to look past Stable Population Party candidate Timothy Lawrence, who offered free condoms to all in attendance.

The comedic approach highlighted the serious platform on which the party is based – controlling Australia's population so it does not exceed 26 million by reducing immigration and phasing out government birth payments to families at two children. “Under tripartisan policies, Australia's population is currently growing by over 1000 people a day,” he said. “That's a new Gold Coast every 18 months.” The only candidate missing was Kevin Rudd impersonator Anthony Ackroyd, running for the Bullet Train for Australia Party, who lives in Bowral, New South Wales. Via Twitter, Mr Ackroyd said he had other things to occupy his time.