Week one of the federal election is officially in the books, so we checked in with our six weekly Pub Test series participants about politician performances, gaffes and debates.
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The six Riverina voters - a cross section of our local community - weigh in on everything from their standout moment of the last seven days and which leader won the week to how they currently plan to vote and what issues from the campaign trail most concern them.
This week, we also asked our panel whether party leaders or electorate candidates are more important factors in deciding their vote.
Gabriel Brown - retired, 78, Glenfield Park
Gabriel Brown found it difficult to assess which leader performed best this past week with what she said is an unfair media fixation on Anthony Albanese's gaffes.
"By media, I mean Murdoch and Nine. If Albanese makes an error, it is repeated ad nauseum for days and days on end. If Scott Morrison makes a blue, it's covered up very quietly," Mrs Brown said.
"I would give [the week] to Albanese because he made errors and he recovered."
However, the retired farmer believed both parties ignored the big issues this week.
"They're just playing stupid games, trying to buy votes and behave the way they always do. The big issues are being politely ignored because they're too difficult to explain," she said.
A minor party leader's interaction with 'gotcha' journalism made a big impression on Mrs Brown.
"Campaigns should be about an argument of ideas not about the stupid memory of facts and figures," she said, commenting on Greens leader Adam Bandt's recent comments at the National Press Club.
While Mrs Brown would currently vote for The Greens, she said the government is most likely heading to a hung parliament as things currently stand.
Although tuned into this week's campaign trail, Mrs Brown did not watch Wednesday night's leaders debate.
The first-time Riverina voter doesn't yet know enough about local candidates to comment on whether they will sway her vote, but said one factor is key to her decision.
"Actually, policy is more important to me," she said.
Joash Parker - farmer, 27, Oura
Farmer Joash Parker said the prime minister had a stronger week, overall. "I think his performance was better in the debate, from what I heard of it, not that I watched the whole thing," Mr Parker said.
"Not that anyone's done particularly well but I'd say Albanese has had more gaffes this week than Scott Morrison."
Despite this, Mr Parker does believe the Labor party made a stronger showing on this week's hotly debated federal integrity commission.
"I don't understand why the Liberals seem so afraid of it. Maybe they do have something to hide," he said.
"I would like to see more discussion around the federal direction where we're going with COVID. But that seems to be a state issue, so it doesn't seem we're going to get it anytime soon."
Although planning to explore his options with local independent candidates, Mr Parker would currently vote for Scott Morrison and the Liberal party if asked to choose between the two major parties.
"I think it's going to be close. I do feel Labor might win, though," he said.
The Oura local said he caught a few highlights from Wednesday's debate, but sees a glaring issue in the exercise.
"I personally think that it should be more than just the two parties. We don't have a two party system, so why do only two parties get to debate?" he said.
Mr Parker is confident on which politicians will sway his vote this election.
"Usually depends on how much distaste or admiration I have for a party leader at the time. I'd say in this election, the local member," he said.
Uncle James Ingram - Aboriginal cultural heritage survey worker, 62, Glenfield Park
Uncle James Ingram also thought the Prime Minister had a stronger week.
"I really don't want to say Morrison, but I think Albanese's gaffes counted against him," Mr Ingram said.
The Wiradjuri elder said that all parties need to step up on the rising cost of living.
"That needs to be debated more, what measures Liberal, Labor, The Greens and the independents are going to put in place to ensure that those pressures are taken off us," he said.
Mr Ingram's standout moment came from Wednesday night's debate, an hour of television which he couldn't watch in its entirety and described as "depressing".
"The thing with China needs to be explained more. I don't think the Liberal government's done enough around the Solomon Island pact with China," he said.
Despite tipping Labor to win, Mr Ingram said he would vote for the Greens if the election were called today, the party he said is best placed to introduce effective climate change policy.
The Glenfield Park local said the local member will without doubt decide his vote.
"This is where I live and I'd like to think that we'd have a representative in Parliament who can actually understand our concerns and bring concerns to Parliament that are real."
Maureen Donlon - retired, 63, Central Wagga
Retiree Maureen Donlon did not see a clear winner from the week.
"Not happy with either. Scott Morrison is a very polished speaker and Anthony Albanese probably has better things to say but he needs to work on his performance," Mrs Donlon said.
"I find it rather disquieting that neither of the two major parties have any clear policy on climate change, and on trying to steer us towards the net zero target.
"When Anthony Albanese said he supported developing coal mines, I nearly fell off my chair."
Mrs Donlon's standout moment of the week showed some of the strength and accountability she hoped to see from the Labor leader.
"He really pointed out a few home truths and I thought, if you'd been like that all along, you'd be doing well," she said of Mr Albanese's debate performance, particularly his closing remarks.
The undecided voter said she's still unlikely to vote for one of the major parties and can't yet deem a winner.
"I'm getting the message in the media that Scott Morrison might be preferred but that's not what I'm feeling," she said. "Fence sitting for now."
As for which politicians will most influence Mrs Donlon's vote: "You vote for your local members, absolutely."
IN OTHER NEWS:
Bianca Lubke - information technology, 18, Tatton
For our youngest participant, the week was won by the opposition leader.
Bianca Lubke's biggest issue and standout moment of the week both came with the prime minister's controversial defence of comments made by Liberal Warringah candidate Katherine Deves on the rights of trans women.
"For no reason bringing trans people into the election sphere," said Ms Lubke, who runs a local LGBTQIA+ youth support group.
"It wasn't just him. It was someone else in the party who said that kids transitioning was surgical mutilation. And I thought that was just horrific, absolutely horrific."
If the election were called right now, Ms Lubke had some idea of how she'd vote.
"Out of Scomo and Albo, I'd be leaning more towards Albo. I'm yet to see much from the Greens," she said.
However, the first time voter also said Riverina candidates will be a bigger influence on her vote than the party leaders.
Unlike the rest of the Pub Test panel but likely like many other Australians, electrician Po Tiwangce paid little attention to the past week's election coverage.
"To be honest with you, I haven't been following it for the past week," Mr Tiwangce said.
"So, I wouldn't be able to tell you at the moment which team is better."
Although unable to recall standout moments and issues of the week, Mr Tiwangce said with certainty who he was not planning to vote for, with party leaders a heavy influence on his vote.
"Not Scomo. I just want to see some changes and he isn't doing really well with handling this pandemic the past few years," he said.
Not watching Wednesday's debate, the Tolland local said he planned to tune in next time.
"I probably will, yeah. I should, actually," he said.
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