Editorial: Voters entitled to know details about candidates

Andrew Austin, Editor of Hawke's Bay Today.

It has been interesting watching the fallout from Green Party co-leader Metiria Turei's astonishing admission that she once committed benefit fraud.

Some people have applauded her for being brave, while others say she should immediately pay back the money.

We had quite an interesting response when we asked our local candidates if they had ever received a benefit.

While not all could be contacted, the responses we received were quite varied. Napier Labour MP and candidate Stuart Nash said he hadn't while his National Party opponent David Elliott was quite upfront in saying he had been on the unemployment benefit for two weeks when he was 18 years old.

Green Party candidate for Napier Damon Rusden even declared his student loan as a benefit, which I am not sure it is, but it is good that he was prepared to acknowledge it.

The most interesting reaction came from Wairarapa Labour candidate Kieran McAnulty who said he was uneasy about the question and whether it was in the public interest.

"Having received a benefit previously, or doing so currently, is in no way a reflection of a candidate's electability," he said.

It is surprising that Mr McAnulty responded like this, because many voters would think they have a right to know that level of detail about a candidate.

It stands to reason that if a politician wants to be paid out of the public purse, then they must expect a degree of scrutiny into their lives and beliefs. It is quite pertinent for voters to know a politician's background and their political, social and religious beliefs.

The campaign is only just starting and candidates should prepare themselves for even tougher questions in the weeks ahead.

Voters have a right to know about those who seek to represent them.