Local Focus: Hamish McDouall on Candidate Camera

Watch the full Local Focus interview for McDouall's views on the region's biggest issues, and our less important quickfire questions.

Hamish McDouall is famous for possessing an encyclopedic knowledge of music, having won TVNZ's quiz show Mastermind in 1990, on the specialist topic The Life and Works of David Bowie. Naturally, McDouall did not shy away from asserting his musical opinions.

"The greatest band of all time is Radiohead, the greatest artist of all time is Nick Cave."

On more serious matters, McDouall is running for a third term as Whanganui Mayor, motivated by his ambition to mitigate climate change "as best we can".

McDouall says the climate change response is "down to every little decision that people make" but admits that some of his counterparts might not "acknowledge climate change".

"It's ridiculous. You shouldn't be even approaching local government without a clear understanding of the science."

McDouall says the best thing he's done on council was limiting suburban sprawl in Whanganui, which aimed to preserve quality soils and reduce emissions.

"I despise sprawl. It can only be bad for the environment"

Other candidates chose to not be interviewed by Local Focus.