Front row campaign under fire from opponents

But Cr Manji said their "The Front Row" joint advertising campaign was "just a bit of fun" and will not affect the way they vote after the election. Photo / Getty Images

A joint campaign by city councillors Jamie Gough and Raf Manji and council candidate Rod S Cameron has come under fire from their opponents claiming it puts their independence in question.

But Cr Manji said their "The Front Row" joint advertising campaign was "just a bit of fun" and will not affect the way they vote after the election.

Cr Manji is running as an independent for Waimairi against The People's Choice candidate Anthony Rimell, Cr Gough has been elected unopposed in Fendalton, and Mr Cameron is a first-time candidate running against four other independent candidates in the Harewood ward.

Faimeh Burke, who is running against Mr Cameron, said what the three were doing was misleading the public.

"As soon as you form a group or party you're not independent. I think it's a bit tricky to say you're independent when you're not. It is wrong to try to appear to be something you are not," she said.

Cr Manji said they were still independent, because joining to campaign would not affect their policies or how they voted after the election.

He said they campaigned together in order to support Mr Cameron, a Stronger Christchurch Infrastructure Rebuild Team manager, because they believed his experience and expertise would be valuable to the city council.

But candidate Aaron Keown, who is also running for Harewood, agreed that compromised their independence as candidates.

"I have been asked to endorse candidates but I won't, because I think a candidate should stand for the people not for a group," he said.