Liam Dann, Simon Wilson and Fran O'Sullivan come together after the NZ Herald Auckland mayoral race live debate to discuss Efeso Collins and Wayne Brown's performance.
Video / NZ Herald
The top polling mayoral candidates for Auckland, Wayne Brown and Efeso Collins, faced off in a debate in the Herald newsroom earlier today, giving Aucklanders one of the last chances to hear from the two men vying for the city's top job.
The debate panel, made of Herald journalists Liam Dann, Simon Wilson and Fran O'Sullivan sat down after the debate to discuss Efeso Collins and Wayne Brown's performance.
If you missed out on watching the livestream, you can watch it below, then vote on our poll and let us know which mayoral candidate you believe fared better.
Wilson and O'Sullivan agreed that both candidates have evolved during the campaign.
"Wayne Brown was not producing some of the big lines that he uses - I'm going to get rid of all the road cones, I'm going to sack all the boards, that kind of thing - he produced a much more nuanced and considered version of himself, if you like. And it was really good to see that," Wilson said.
Wilson said that, while Brown talked a lot, Efeso's answers were more concise and to the point.
"They both presented as people who have the capacity to be mayor," he added.
O'Sullivan said she was disappointed in both of them when it came to the delivery and explaining their priorities.
"I was quite pleasantly surprised at how each of them answered my final question to them about their concession speech. They've obviously both grown to quite like each other," she said.
When it comes to who is actually going to win, both Wilson and O'Sullivan agree that it is too soon to call it.
The moderators sat down to discuss Efeso Collins and Wayne Brown's performance. Photo / Alex Burton
"I think it's too close to call," Wilson says.
O'Sullivan says "the jury's out on each of them", even in the business community.
The most important thing, right now, is for Aucklanders to get out and vote.
Voting in the postal election closes at midday on October 8.
Use the NZ Herald interactive below to find out more about the candidates:
