These were the rural and regional-focused questions panelists were scrambling to answer during a pre-election debate – part of filming for ABC’s Q&A.

The debate featured Deputy PM and Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce, opposition agriculture spokesman Joel Fitzgibbon, Independent candidate for Mr Joyce's New England seat Tony Windsor along with National Farmers Federation vice president Fiona Simson.

A range of issues were debated, with the delivery of services to the bush in the areas of health, education, regional business and information technology the main focus.

Mr Joyce - who bore the brunt of questions over service delivery - took the realist's approach. 

He said, when asked what he would do to deliver crucial improvements, that the Nationals were in Coalition to provide a healthy national economy, which is needed to fund regional Australia.

“I don’t think we will ever have like the central business district – it just wouldn’t be the truth to say we would,” Mr Joyce said in response to a question about improving telecommunications in some areas. Mr Joyce represented a moderate voice when Mr Windsor criticised previous Labor and Coalition governments’ records on the National Broadband Network.

Mr Windsor called for a full rollout of fibre-to-the-premises NBN.

“Do it once, do it right, and do it with fibre,” Mr Windsor said.

The Deputy PM said the Nationals exist to represent the bush, but service delivery must be constrained within the broader economy.

“Regional people want a strong nation – but not to put the nation at risk for parochial interests,” Mr Joyce said.

Mr Joyce rattled off a list of funding announcements for services and infrastructure, reiterating the bush needed the Nationals at the negotiating table to deliver plans for regional growth.

Mr Fitzgibbon pointed to the NBN to distinguish Labor from the Coalition, citing his party’s commitment to deliver higher connection speeds.

“Barnaby Joyce may be right, we may never have the services of capital cities, but he may be wrong, and digital technology might bridge the divide.”

Ms Simson called for visionary investment to grow the regions.

 “So much planning just assumes the population will go to the cities… we need strategic investment in place to build rural and regional businesses. We don’t want to have to go with our begging bowls. We want to hear about how leaders plan to build stronger regions.”