Local issues: Jobs, education and housing among local concerns

Jobs and the economy would be the biggest issues for people in their electorates during the next three years, the majority of candidates predicted when the question was put to them at Monday night's Star/Otago Chamber of Commerce Election 2011 Meet the Candidates forum at the Dunedin Public Art Gallery.

Nine of the evening's 16 candidates said creating more jobs and fostering economic growth during the next three years would be of the utmost importance, while the retention of services, securing education opportunities, fighting apathy, and the "loss of souls" also warranted mention from some.

Alliance party candidate for Dunedin North Victor Billot said free trade presented the biggest threat to jobs in New Zealand.

"What we have is two parties in this country which are committed to free trade [while] we have an industry here in Dunedin, at Hillside, which has had the arse kicked out of it.

"We've got to stand up and defend jobs in this country and free trade is the No 1 issue; it's being signed behind doors and it's going to sell out this country."

Dunedin South Green Party candidate Shane Gallagher also highlighted the importance of securing jobs in Dunedin, as well as providing safe, affordable and healthy homes.

"We've just lost a lot of jobs at Hillside - those trains could have been built here, but decisions made by the National Government have meant those jobs, and our taxpayers' money, is being spent creating jobs which stay in China.

"We [also] need decent housing in Dunedin South - the houses are cold and damp and are making people sick and we need those houses to be warm and dry and safe, and we have a policy for that."

Labour candidate for Dunedin North David Clark said the retention of services such as neurosurgery, and lifting quality of life for people with policies such as a minimum wage of $15 an hour, were paramount for his party.

Act New Zealand party candidate Guy McCallum said issues surrounding the university, port and agricultural sector in the northeast of the city were of high importance, but a stronger economy came first.

United Future Dunedin North Candidate Peter George said the most important issue facing his electorate was apathy.

People needed to get a "Dunedin voice" working and needed to ensure they were heard throughout the entire three-year term, he said.

New Zealand First candidate for Dunedin South Randall Ratana said his electorate needed more jobs, new apprenticeships and higher wages.

Increased Super Gold Card benefits were also needed, he said.

Democrats for Social Credit Dunedin South candidate Warren Voight said debt was the biggest issue facing the country, with $8 billion being funnelled offshore in the past year or two.

Dunedin North National candidate Michael Woodhouse said Dunedin North was an "education electorate" and education needed to remain strong and research needed to be translated into meaningful work.

Julian Crawford of the Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis party, standing in Dunedin North, and Robert Wansink of the Restore All Things in Christ party, standing in Dunedin South, had slightly different views of the problems their electorates would face and how to solve them.

Mr Crawford suggested a possible "solution" to New Zealand's economic woes would be to legalise cannabis, which had more than 20,000 different uses and was "extremely nutritious", while Mr Wansink suggested the largest problem people would face in the next three years would be the "loss of souls" and continued "pollution" of children through sex education in schools.