Editorial: Time to hear what council candidates have to say

Andrew Austin, editor of Hawke's Bay Today.

I am looking forward to moderating two council byelection debates - one tonight and the other tomorrow night.

As a result of Lawrence Yule and Adrienne Pierce resigning from the Hastings District Council, a byelection is being held to fill two vacancies.

Voting papers in the byelection go out this week and people will have until November 24 to decide who they want to be their new mayor and new councillor for the Havelock North/Hastings Ward. In a bid to help the public decide who to vote for, Hawke's Bay Today is hosting two debates.

The first one - between the candidates for the council position and held tonight at the newspaper's offices in Heretaunga St East, Hastings - will be quite unique. That's because the best way to watch it will be on the Hawke's Bay Today Facebook page, where we will livestream it from 6pm . There will be limited seating available, so if you do want to attend please email me at editor@hbtoday.co.nz.

The candidates are 19-year-old Waitawhara Tupaea (who is also standing for Hastings mayor), Whakatu local Jason Whaitiri, Hastings resident Reon Robin, nurse and independent midwife Rizwanna Latiff, poet and Hawke's Bay Today columnist Bruce Bisset, Heretaunga Women's Centre chairwoman Eileen Lawson and local business owner Wendy Schollum.

Tomorrow night we will hold a public debate between the six candidates for mayor.

They are acting mayor Sandra Hazlehurst, current councillors Simon Nixon and Bayden Barber, Future Youth Party leader Allister Tosh, Mr Tupaea (who is also standing in the Hastings council seat byelection) and Crownthorpe lemon orchardist Stuart Perry.

The debate will be held at Karamu High School in Hastings at 6pm. Any questions for the candidates can be emailed to editor@hbtoday.co.nz. That event will be livestreamed on Hawke's Bay Today's Facebook page as well.