Police were called to Bendigo Library on Sunday after a public forum featuring federal election candidates descended into chaos.

Phoenix FM broadcaster Max Primmer, the forum moderator, said there was a confrontation between an attendee and Australian Sex Party senate candidate Meredith Doig about their views on the Safe Schools Coalition.

The woman had voiced her displeasure at the Safe Schools program during the forum.

Dr Doig was arguing for the program. 

Mr Primmer said the confrontation was fuelled by a second attendee, whose opinions on the issue incited such disgust from some candidates and crowd members that there were walk-outs. 

The event ended shortly thereafter, 15 minutes ahead of its scheduled ending time. 

Police were called about the spat within five minutes of the forum’s conclusion.

Bendigo police acting sergeant Travis Dole said the arguing parties were separated and told to move on, instructions with which they complied. 

“There was no criminal element to it,” he said. 

Charges will not be laid. 

“It was supposed to be a nice, easy forum for people just to talk about things,” Mr Primmer said. 

“It basically went well right until the end and degraded into not very nice comments and there was a distinct lack of respect for other people’s opinions.”

He said the crowd’s reaction to Safe Schools during the forum was evidence of the need for the program.

The forum was an initiative of a group lobbying for the Safe Schools Coalition in Bendigo, but organisers were hopeful the debate would touch on many election topics. 

As it turned out, Safe Schools and LGBTI issues dominated the discourse.