Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce to speak at Tamworth Business Chamber candidate's forum

Five candidates have signed up to attend Tamworth's first candidate's forum for the upcoming federal election, organised by the Tamworth Business Chamber.

Incumbent Barnaby Joyce confirmed to the Leader that he plans to speak at the event.

Tamworth Business Chamber is putting the final touches to the Meet the Candidates forum, this week.

It is slated to go ahead on Monday May 9, at 5.30pm at the Tamworth Memorial Town Hall.

Prospective attendees can submit a question for the candidates at the same place they can sign up online.

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The forum will be conducted in a question-and-answer format, with a moderator selected by the chamber directing the proceedings.

Each candidate will also be allowed a three-minute introduction and a minute at the end for summing up, as well as time to answer questions.

Some questions will be directed to specific candidates and others will be to every candidate.

A spokesperson for the business chamber said the moderator will largely pick questions relevant to the local area or local issues, as opposed to broader, national policy questions or debates, but the latter may get a run as well, time permitting.

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The business chamber estimates that the hall will have enough room to accommodate the event, with the option of putting overflow into the balconies.

Candidates who can't attend can zoom in and there will be a live stream for people who can't attend the forum.

The event should be finished by about 7.45pm.

Eight people are contesting the May 21 election. Aside from incumbent and deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce, Laura Hughes is standing for Labor, Carol Sparks for the Greens, Richard Thomas for One Nation, Cindy Duncan for the United Australia Party, and Pavlo Samios for the Liberal Democrats.

Natasha Ledger and Matt Sharpham are standing as independents.

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