Editorial: Our new political faces are now here

Photo/File

It was a veritable coup for the local National Council of Women ...

Thursday saw the first candidates' meeting of the election season; a sort of coming-out ball for Harete Hipango, Steph Lewis and Nicola Patrick - all debutantes.

When the bell sounded (courtesy of excellent host Carla Donson), they came out of the blue, red and green corners ready for battle.

So, the gloves were off ... well, no, the kid gloves were very much on.

This was political warfare at its most polite and genteel - a most courteous debate and perhaps these three women bidding to be Whanganui's next MP could teach some of the men down in Parliament a thing or two about how to behave.

There was a nice contrast in styles - the big-picture idealism of those representing the Opposition parties, and the more pragmatic, steady-as-she-goes approach of the governing party's candidate.

There were some good questions and issues raised.

Trans-Tasman Resources application to mine ironsand off the South Taranaki coast:

Lewis and Patrick - No way.

Hipango - Let the Environmental Protection Authority process arrive at a decision.

Euthanasia:
Lewis and Patrick - Yes, but with safeguards.

Hipango - Uncertain, but probably not.

As a reward for answering these and other questions, the three candidates were each given a magic wand and one wish with which to solve one of the world's problems. Disappointingly, none of them opted for "world peace".

Patrick - Everyone takes climate change seriously.

Lewis - Equality.

Hipango - A never-ending surplus.

But it wasn't all sweetness and light ... Fielding a question about Whanganui's path toward being a restorative city, Nicola Patrick said she should not be cheeky and then proceeded to be, suggesting that disgraced Clutha-Southland MP Todd Barclay needed some restorative practices in his workplace after his bust-up with long-serving electorate secretary Glenys Dickson.

Ouch!