The lively forum – streamed live on the Addy’s Facebook page – allowed readers to submit questions in real-time and candidates had the opportunity to explain how their policies would benefit Bendigo. Clear policy differences emerged and were debated.

Watch the full debate below (allow time for page to load):

Labor MP Jacinta Allan holds the seat on a margin of 5.05 per cent, placing it among the more marginal seats in regional Victoria.

She faces a challenge from Liberal candidate Ian Ellis, Nationals candidate Gaelle Broad, Greens candidate Nakita Thomson, Democratic Labour Party candidate Helen Leach and independent Michael Belardinelli.

The cost to access counsellors, psychologists and ongoing treatment for mental health is too high. Now that we have a new hospital, what will you do to improve service provision in this area?

Candidates discuss: Mental health services in Bendigo, hospital funding

With power prices skyrocketing, what will you do to bring them down?

Candidates discuss: Power prices, coal v renewable energy

With the demise of manufacturing, what is your plan to bring jobs to Bendigo and keep young people here once they finish school?

Candidates discuss: Job creation, regional rail

How do you all feel about decentralising Victoria and developing and investing into regional cities? It seems like everything over the last few years is all about making Melbourne bigger.

Candidates discuss: Decentralisation, Bendigo GovHub

Why are there not enough bus routes into new areas of Epsom where hundreds of new residents will be living? Has the government been doing enough to make sure infrastructure development, particularly Epsom-Huntly way, keeps pace with growing areas of Bendigo?

Candidates discuss: Public schools, coping with residential growth, Safe Schools program

It’s becoming more of an issue that people are below the poverty line in our city, which, in a country like Australia, is quite unacceptable, such an affluent country. 14% of people in Bendigo live below the poverty line, according to VCOSS figures that came out today. That’s defined as $350 per week of disposable income. How can the state government address this?

Candidates discuss: Poverty in Bendigo, public housing, TAFE