Mr McDouall has had two terms on council - one as deputy mayor - and was publicly endorsed by the outgoing Annette Main. He said the priority of his mayoralty would be rates affordability. "The whole election's been about the affordability of rates going forward and so that's got to be our main focus," he said. Every territorial authority should be worried about that but particularly Whanganui. Mr McDouall, who has been a Labour Party candidate in previous general elections, said he was now committed to local body politics.

Source: New Zealand Herald October 08, 2016 07:30 UTC