Candidates live the love at debate

Independent Cathryn Eden (standing) MP Meka Whaitiri (Labour, left), Marama Fox (Maori Party), Te Hamua Nikora (Mana), and Henare Kani (Greens). Photo / Paul Taylor

The terraced seating in Flaxmere's Irongate School hall provided the theatre-style setting - and the candidates put on the drama.

There was a mix of humour, song, motivational speaking and sombre reflection from the five contenders standing for the Ikaroa Rawhiti electorate.

And at Monday's Hawke's Bay Today Meet the Candidates debate, even the discussions on macroeconomics were captivating.

Labour's Meka Whaitiri may be the sitting MP with a healthy majority, but Mana's Te Hamua Nikora was the crowd-pleaser on the night, winning the audience straw poll with 27 votes against Ms Whaitiri's 23.

You could argue it was the former Maori Television presenter's amusing theatrics - rather than his party's policies - that helped him top the evening's poll. But on the other hand, Mr Nikora proved he had the political skill to transform a curly question into an opportunity to launch charm offensive.

He beamed when asked by moderator and Hawke's Bay Today editor Andrew Austin if Mana had "sold its soul" by taking money from controversial millionaire immigrant Kim Dotcom.

"I love this question. Why is it that my pants are from the Warehouse and I couldn't afford to get them hemmed up properly so there's Sellotape on them?" he said, tugging on his trousers to produce the evidence.

"If Kim Dotcom gave me money why am I still driving a Toyota with dents in it? Kim Dotcom has given money to Internet Mana, the movement. Everybody has sponsors. We just happen to tell everybody who ours is."

Ms Whaitiri was asked if she believed she had filled the shoes of her predecessor, the long-serving, larger-than-life MP Parekura Horomia, who died last year.

"Well, Parekura actually wore jandals," she quipped.

"But honestly, I've never claimed I could fill the shoes of such a great man. But what Parekura has done for me, and for all of us, is to lay a pathway for those wanting to enter politics and represent our people - to keep true to yourself, to keep your feet grounded, and to make sure you're accessible, approachable and available on all of the issues confronting our whanau throughout the electorate. To do it with humility and grace."

Maori Party candidate Marama Fox was asked if the party could have the same impact without retiring leaders Tariana Turia and Pita Sharples.

"Tariana and Pita have been inspirational not just to the Maori Party but to this country," she said.

And while they, too, were leaving big shoes to fill "I absolutely have faith in the Maori candidates that are standing now", she said.

The Green Party's Henare Kani didn't exactly answer the question when asked if he was standing to get elected in the seat or was just seeking to boost the Green party vote.

"I have the utmost faith that the people of Ikaroa Rawhiti will vote for the best person for them," he said.

"The party vote is really important so the Greens can be part of a progressive government."

Independent candidate Cathryn Eden, a self-confessed single-issue campaigner who wants to reform the banking system, was asked if she believed people were listening to her message.

"We are," the other candidates told Mr Austin.

Ms Eden received claps and cheers from the crowd when she voiced her concerns that international bankers were creating massive loans out of thin air that were keeping ordinary people trapped in poverty and sucking productive potential out of the local economy.

"We would happily work with Cathryn because as far as I can tell, the bank doesn't like me either," Mr Nikora said.

Ms Whaitiri wound up the event by saying it had been "awesome" sharing the campaign trail with the other candidates and she wished them all well in the final leg of the election.