The Northern Advocate and NZME Northland digital and radio platforms, are giving you, the voters, a chance to hear why the candidates standing deserve your vote on October 17.
Northern Advocate reporter Imran Ali and The Hits Northland day announcer Charmaine Soljak have interviewed candidates from the three Northland electorates – Whangārei, Northland and Te Tai Tokerau.
We caught them on video, too, so head to thenorthernadvocate.co.nz and thehits.co.nz to read about the candidates, listen and watch what they have to say.
The Hits Northland, The Northern Advocate, and the Northland Age will introduce you to the candidates, so you can read, watch and hear about what they've had to say, and be well informed before you cast your vote.
Today we look at the next three candidates in the Whangārei electorate, with the rest of the candidates from the electorate appearing tomorrow. Then on Thursday and Friday we will have the Te Tai Tokerau candidates.
Here's what we asked them:
What is the biggest single issue facing your electorate and how would you deal with it?
What should be done to help the country recover in a post-Covid world?
Do you support moving the Ports of Auckland's work to Northport at Marsden Pt and why/why not?
Do you support three district councils and one regional council for Northland or do you think they should be amalgamated?
Who has had the greatest influence on your life and why?
What needs to be done to address the chronic affordable housing shortage and inequality within Northland?
What is your position on allowing or prohibiting the release of genetically modified organisms and their products into New Zealand's environment?
What needs to be done to overcome NZ's methamphetamine scourge?
A universal basic income of $250 per Northlander and a further $40 for every child will help those unemployed and keep businesses ticking along.
The Opportunities Party (TOP) Whangārei candidate Ciara Swords said abolishing provisional tax on small businesses and increasing stronger competition law were ways to help companies thrive in the region.
The universal income, she said, would replace the welfare system and would apply to anyone working or otherwise.
"We are bringing in a flat rate tax of 33 per cent and also bringing in a risk-free rate method tax on assets. It sounds strange to have a flat-rate tax because that will be for everyone but it ends up being more progressive than the current system.
"With universal basic income, it means you have to earn $39,000 annually before you effectively pay tax. Anyone earning below that is negative tax," she said.
To hear the Hits host Charmaine Soljak's interview click here.
While there was going to be a lot of government spending going forward, she said it must be spent in a way that was climate-friendly because future generations would have to pay for it.
Despite living in Marsden Pt, Swords hasn't given too much thought to the idea of moving Ports of Auckland to Northport but a better transport network was needed between the two regions, she said.
Amalgamation of Northland's territorial authorities should save a lot of administrative costs, she said.
She thinks a lack of affordable houses in Northland was both a supply and demand issue.
"One of the key things is that at the moment, property isn't taxed in the same way as other assets. There's a massive loophole and so what we propose is that we'll bring in a risk-free rate method in taxing property.
"It won't be a capital gains tax but a risk-free method will just be a tax per year based on the value of the home. It will be based on the current value of the house. It will be treated in the same way as if you leave money in the bank though.
"People who have money in New Zealand, that is the best way to invest your money. So people aren't investing in businesses, which is the real way to produce jobs and stimulate the economy in a way that actually helps New Zealand.
"When we are buying up houses, we are just making it harder and harder for people to live because when house prices go up, rent goes up and when rent goes up, people start to have a lower quality of life because they aren't able to afford housing, and other things they probably like to have.
"We don't want the housing market to crash. We just want to flatten the curve. When it comes to people who are doing it for investment purposes, we want to get them to move towards other areas of investment," Swords said.
A universal income of $250 per person will improve the lives of Northlanders and small businesses, says TOP candidate Ciara Swords.
Photo / Supplied
She isn't against the introduction of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) in the environment if it was used to create more food for people.
On meth, she said people would turn away from drugs if they were given the dignity to have enough to live on, which would in turn mean more jobs - so eventually people start to live more meaningful lives and do not have to jump through hoops just to be on the welfare system.
The most important person in her life is her partner Alex, who's helping with her election campaign.
"He's a really smart guy, he's been through a lot with me and has sort of encouraged me to go for what I want and be truthful to myself and be empowered," Swords said.
