Cheers for Vandervis, Hawkins absent from forum

Mayoral candidates front up to voters at Burns Hall last night. Photo: Gregor Richardson
Mayoral candidates front up to voters at Burns Hall last night. Photo: Gregor Richardson
"Communication and transparency" were the words burning on the lips of candidates in a mayoralty forum held yesterday in Dunedin.

Nine of the 11 Dunedin City Council mayoralty candidates took to the stage in a forum and debate at Burns Hall in Moray Pl last night, after being invited by The Dunedin Ratepayers and Householders Association.

Notably missing was incumbent Mayor Aaron Hawkins, who had sent in his apology at 11am yesterday after a five-week wait by the association for his response, association chairman Lyndon Weggery told the audience.

The apology was met with a series of boos and cries of disapproval from the crowd.

Each candidate had three minutes to introduce themselves before they answered "yes or no" questions from the association and the floor was opened for questions from the crowd of about 100 people.

All candidates agreed there was a lack of transparency and communication by the current council that had left voters feeling "disenfranchised and not listened to", as candidate Cr Carmen Houlahan said.

The youngest mayoralty candidate at the table, Jett Groshinski, said the biggest issue the Dunedin community was facing was they did not feel council was listening.

"People just aren’t feeling heard, even when they are directly talking to councillors and that’s a huge problem," Mr Groshinski said.

Current councillor and mayoral candidate Lee Vandervis seemed to be the favourite of the evening with his opening speech, the only one to be met with cheers of approval after describing himself as "Dunedin’s most outspoken councillor".

Cr Vandervis also garnered the largest rounds of applause and vocal approval throughout the evening with his responses on how he would vote on key issues, and his firm stance on holding the council to account.

cas.saunders@odt.co.nz

 

Advertisement