Setting up a symposium of Dunedin’s best and brightest, keeping "trained brains" in the city, pursuing a "re-vision" and tossing out the Otago Regional Council were some key notes hit by prominent mayoralty contenders.
Other subjects that were thrashed about included economic growth, the cost of building houses, unnecessary paperwork and council debt.
Business South invited four Dunedin mayoralty candidates - incumbent Jules Radich, Cr Sophie Barker, Cr Lee Vandervis and businessman Andrew Simms - to a debate after a survey of members.
Mr Simms said hosting a symposium would be the first thing he would do if elected mayor.
That would establish where things were at, what was required and how to get there, he said.
Mr Radich said Dunedin needed to hold on to the people who might be the engine room of the economy, such as those educated in its tertiary education institutions.
"We need to retain more of the brains we train," he said.
Cr Barker said more ambition was required and her re-vision - such as getting better value from rates and improving council culture — could be achieved through smart and measurable goals.
"I want to lead the charge to power up Dunedin together," she said.
The regional council was getting in the way of development beside the Otago Harbour, he said.
He wanted slimmed-down council agendas and a focus on land-use zoning to be pulled back.
Cr Vandervis and Mr Simms believed the council should get out of Local Government New Zealand.
Mr Simms said the cost differential between building homes in Christchurch and Dunedin was a problem, and Dunedin had "a reputation for being the hardest municipality to deal with".
Mr Radich described his approach to the mayoralty as "balanced".
The candidates were asked, if they had to rule themselves out of the mayoralty, who they would back.
Mr Simms and Cr Barker nominated each other.
Likewise, Mr Radich and Cr Vandervis each opted for the other.
