Jimmy Knowles says he knows what it means to be an underdog, and the chance to speak for others who struggle in society motivated him to have his third shot at the mayoralty.
Mr Knowles has had his own struggles, including a difficult childhood, in which he was a ward of the state for a period, and he has acknowledged he has a criminal record for aggravated robbery, drugs offences, car conversion and dishonesty offences.
You've been standing since 2001 [for the Otago Peninsula Community Board that year, and the mayoralty since], unsuccessfully so far; why are you having a go again?
Because my heart and my head tell me to, basically.
Expand on that. When you sit down and think about it, what is it that makes your mind up?
Well, I'm basically [in the mayoral position] being employed by our people to represent them around that council table. I also feel that I need to hold the senior role, meaning being able to pull rank occasionally, because what I've come to realise about this campaign and election being so vital this time round is because of all these separatist groups.
Who are you talking about?
Organisations like Greater Dunedin, for example; if one of those was elected as mayor, associated with one of those groups, and then his fellow members got on the council, who's he going to favour?
You think the development of those tickets on the council is not a good thing?
I can understand why it's happening, because, simply, democracy has fallen apart. If not even 50% are prepared to vote, it's taking the law into their own hands, these groups.
In the past we've been over your background, and you said to me the other day you were standing for the underdog. You've had the situation where you've had those difficulties, been a ward of the state; if you look at the council, government, authority generally, what could they have done better for you, to have made a difference in your life?
Exactly, and this is where I'd find the job very difficult, because I'm quite willing and able to make up, so to speak, with certain people within those organisations.
The reality is I've been made a scapegoat a lot of my life, and taken the fall for others, I guess.
I'm not afraid to 'fess up to my convictions.
I feel others need to do the same in powerful positions, and that's another reason I'm standing.
When you were young, and you were a ward of the state, how could things have been better, what sort of things could have been done better for you?
As a child?
Yes.
Just the scrutineering of staff, to start with.
The general discipline which was part of the normal regime, as per government back then, where physical discipline was normal in this town; it was rife.
It was more so among either adopted people or Maori people; it was one and the same.
Some of the horrific violence, just within primary school, that I was subjected to; you can understand why people get so angry later in life and lose the plot, so to speak.
So would it be fair to say if you were in a position of power that you'd be looking for a more decent society?
Definitely.
Being able to see where certain avenues can be turned around, from negative to positive.
It's all quite simple, common sense stuff, it really is.
We've got to start with ourselves though.
When you talk about standing for the underdog, what sort of people do you mean?
The ones struggling just to pay for the next bill.
This in an opportunity you get every few years to say what you would like to see happen for those people; what sort of thing is it? How could society do better for those people?
Well, I think they could get down off their pedestal and get in the real world.
I think money and power are two things that go together.
Without one or the other it all falls apart, unless you're with the right group of people.
And money isn't an issue: it's all about resources, and maintaining our resources for future generations.
I've always been about needs, because let's face what we need just to survive.
It's such a struggle at the moment.
That's just housing, power bills, food; just basics, even clothing.
Who can afford the basics?
So the council does have social housing, it has an electricity fund for people who struggle to pay their bills. Is that what you'd like to see more of?
Definitely, for those genuinely needing it.
And also initiatives, which so many of our young people have.
Starting up businesses even.
Because of red tape and bureaucracy, which costs money to go through before they can even start them initiatives, it's a real setback.
So I'm quite prepared to lead by example, and if voted, for example, I said at the forum the other night, every vote equates to one dollar.
If elected then, that mayoral salary [would go back to the people], and the people can decide the fate of how it's spent via competition for example, and where it's most needed.
That's it.
I can live off loose change.
I've cleared $14,000 for the last few years.
I'm still feeling for the next person.
If you look at the city over the last few years, what do you think is wrong with it?
The structure.
Who picks who for what positions, in regards to employment.
The simple answer to a lot of those people is they've already been in the loop, among the old boys' club for years.
Your campaign, how much does it cost?
$200, a bit of petrol, recyclable clothes.
Do you pay for that yourself?
I've had great support from my budget team at Family Works, and Presbyterian Support.
They supply me with my suits.
The $200 came from my budget.
I'm paid by the taxpayer; it's all a merry-go-round.
It's never been about money; it's never been about myself; it's seeing through that big black cloud.
Once you get through that big black cloud you're back in the light of day, where reality is plain for everybody to see.
If you had a message for kids that found themselves wards of the state, what would that be?
The message would be hold on tight.
We can turn things round; we can implement great ideas.
It's not a them-and-us society as it may seem.
We're all equals.
