Kāpiti Grey Power are again doing their thing, and hosting Election Candidate meetings for the up coming General Elections, and full sets of candidates or their representatives are fronting up.
The Mana Electorate Meeting is at Southwards Car Museum Theatre on Tuesday September 26, and the Ōtaki Electorate Meeting is at the same venue the next day on Wednesday September 27. Both meetings are from 7 to 9pm, and Grey Power suggests that intending audience members come from 6.30 to secure seats.
Although Grey Power members will be there in abundance, these meetings are very much for the general public.
Grey Power President and ex-Kāpiti Deputy Mayor Roger Booth will moderate, and is delighted at the chance to grill so many of the candidates. Mr Booth says “it is likely that fields of 6 will front up for each meeting, and we believe that our chosen topics will sort them out.”
Candidates Lily Brown (ACT), Frances Hughes (National), and Andy Foster (NZ First) will be at the Mana meeting. Hon Barbara Edmond (Labour) will be represented by Hon Ayesha Verrall and Gina Dao-McLay (Green) by Stephanie Rodgers. Bryan Ten Have will speak for the NZ Loyal party.
Candidates Terisa Ngobi (Labour), Tim Costley (National), Sean Rush (Act), and Ali Muhammad (Green) will front at the Ōtaki meeting, and Andy Foster (NZ First) and Bryan Ten Have (NZ Loyal) will represent their parties.
Mr Booth says at each meeting all candidates will firstly speak in turn for 3 minutes. They will explain their credentials, and will then choose to comment from a set of Kāpiti-relevant topics which the candidates have been given.
“These Matters to Address include superannuation, several aspects of health, provision of new local accommodation, school teachers and students, and the effects of climate change.”
All candidates will then in turn be given time to comment on each of nine specific questions, again pre-set, covering a similar range of material. Quick fire questions, but asking for more detailed answers (one minute maximum) than were expected from the Prime Ministerial contenders on the quick fire topics in their television debates.
And then there will be about 30 remaining minutes for questions from the floor of the meeting.
Mana Electorate Meeting is at Southwards Car Museum Theatre on Tuesday September 26
Ōtaki Electorate Meeting is at Southwards Car Museum Theatre on Wednesday September 27.
Both meetings are from 7 to 9pm.
