Main Northland candidates grilled on Sunday

Huhana Lyndon will host Sunday's The Battle for the North political debate in Whangarei.

The main candidates for all three Northland electorates will be grilled at a public debate in Whangarei on Sunday.

Haukainga has organised The Battle for the North, a political debate to be held at Capitaine Bougainville Theatre, at Forum North.

The event will start at 6pm, but doors will open at 5.30pm for the large crowd expected to attend.

Te Tai Tokerau candidates Kelvin Davis, Labour; Hone Harawira, Mana; and Godfrey Rudolph, Greens, will take to the stage at 6pm.

From 6.45pm Whangarei electorate candidates Ash Holwell, from the Greens; Shane Reti, National; Tony Savage, Labour; and Shane Jones, NZ First, will have their turn on stage.

Then Northland electorate candidates Willow-Jean Prime, Labour; and Matt King, National will then take their turns from 7.30pm. NZ First candidate Winston Peters will not attend after sending his apologies to organisers on Thursday. A space will be kept open for him if circumstances change.

Act candidates were invited however could not attend due to a clash in meetings

The debate will be hosted by Huhana Lyndon, general manager of Te Matarau Education Trust, and each candidate will be asked a question and given one minute to answer.

Peter Lucas, from Te Hiku Media, said the debate focused on inviting those from the major parties that are likely to be part of the next government.

"We had to think about how many people we had on the stage and it was really a practicality that we invited those candidates, and that's not a reflection on the other candidates standing, but we had to make the decision for practical reasons." Mr Lucas said.

Ms Lyndon said the debate is the chance for the public to see candidates from the Tai Tokerau, Whangarei and Northland electorates go head-to-head on matters of importance for our region.

The debated will be screened live online at tehiku.nz, and on radio stations Tautoko FM, Ngati Hine FM and Te Hiku FM, with support from NZ On Air.