Waipā mayor Susan O’Regan stood her ground and may have felt vindicated for it at tonight’s meet the candidates gathering in Cambridge.
Candidate Jo Davies-Colley addresses the Cambridge Chamber candidates meeting. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
The audience comprised members of the Cambridge Business Chamber – members of a community wanting a third bridge, unimpressed by the council’s Blue Blob plan, wanting a library fit for purpose – and concerned at the shrinking space for retail staff to park.
O’Regan, her two mayoral rivals Mike Pettit and Clare St Pierre and 13 candidates for four Cambridge district council seats, plus sitting Māori ward candidate Dale-Maree Morgan were put on the spot for 90 minutes by compere and The News columnist Peter Carr.
He opened by saying candidates would be expected to give short and sharp answers – it wasn’t a time to discuss how long they had lived in the area and where they schooled their children.
O’Regan, seeking a second term against two of her current crop of councillors, went against the tide to reject notions of overspending on consultants. Of a controversial move in meeting dates which sidelined Good Local Media, she argued that it was not good governance to make decisions that detracted from being an effective business for the sake of an outside organisation.
MC Peter Carr introduces the Cambridge Chamber candidates meeting. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
But on the back of significant rate increases approved by her council she also acknowledged that in terms of the council’s staffing, it had to be the ‘right size”.
Those at the evening were invited to download an app which would enable them to vote for candidates who impressed them. About a third did – drawing an ironical comment that it matched the voter turnout in 2022 in Waipā.
The vote for the ward candidates hit a computer speed bump and was abandoned – but of the 35 who voted for the mayoral candidate who impressed most, O’Regan captured 17 – one more than Cambridge Primary School principal Mike Pettit.
Candidates for the Cambridge ward will have earned mixed reviews for their handling of on the spot questions – though thankfully few resorted to the “I’ll go with what the community wants” line.
They were brave enough to say this was not the time to invest in a new library for Cambridge – but struggled to prove a solution to the fact that retail staff in central Cambridge battle for parking spots and those working late make a walk in the dark back to their car.
Morgan – who was flying solo because her rival Yvonne Waho was unwell – drew warm applause after explaining the value of Māori wards ahead of a referendum on them at the October elections.
She said could not understand why the views of 18 per cent of the population should be suppressed and outlined her work across the community.
“I don’t take anything away – I add to the table,” she said.
The event was livestreamed by Good Local Media – publishers of the Cambridge News – and attracted more than 1500 live views.
Cambridge Chamber candidates meeting
Cambridge Chamber candidates meeting. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
