The nine contenders faced a largely middle-aged or older audience, in keeping with Statistics New Zealand's data regarding voter turnout in local body elections. Good organisation and careful timekeeping meant the event largely ran smoothly, albeit with several sometimes amusing, sometimes heated, interjections from the floor. The questions ranged from outlining each individual candidate's vision, priorities and leadership capabilities to hot topics such as rates and expenditure, environment and climate change, social housing, and the tension between the pressure for urban growth and the rural nature of the district. However, it was the cluster of questions that targeted the environment and climate change that got the audience going. Candidate responses to the questions ran the gamut from passionate to conservative, and scientifically informed to social media-fed views, with a single climate change naysayer just for good measure.

Source: Otago Daily Times October 01, 2019 01:52 UTC