DEPUTY Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce, Greens' leader Richard Di Natale and Labor's Shadow Minister for Rural Affairs, Joel Fitzgibbon, will speak in Goulburn next week.
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The trio will feature on a panel at Goulburn High School for the inaugural ABC Regional Leaders Debate on Wednesday, May 25.
Hosted by ABC political editor Chris Uhlmann, the event will be televised live on ABC News 24 and broadcast live on News Radio and regional radio networks around Australia.
ABC rural editor Edwina Farley said the network chose Goulburn for its "interesting mix of rural, but also regional, issues".
"For the first time, the ABC is hosting a leaders' debate that is entirely about regional issues in a regional centre, with a regional audience," Ms Farley told the Post.
"What strikes us about coverage of regional Australia is often there are headline stories about live exports, drought . . . and these sorts of issues that matter to broader regional communities are often overlooked [in political debates] . . .
"[Goulburn is] somewhere not just for outback or remote people, but somewhere we could weave in farming with agriculture and rural stories."
The panel of politicians will take questions from the audience, with those interested in attending asked to register online for a ticket.
Video questions will be fielded on the night on a variety of rural issues, including the drought, young people in regional areas, indigenous issues and the downturn in mining.
The televised debate will run from 7.30pm to 8.30pm. Doors will open at 6.30pm and audience members are asked to arrive early to be seated.
It is expected the conversation will continue after the broadcast until 9.30pm.
To register as a member of the audience, click here to register.
The high school is at 132 Goldsmith St.
