Today and tomorrow the political party candidates which most people in Whaingaroa are likely to be voting for are coming to Raglan.
At the 2011 election the Raglan Town Hall party vote was split 32% to National, 27% Green, 23% Labour, 6% NZ First, 5% Mana and 3% Maori, with the other 4% split between 5 other parties.
Today it’s the National Party in the form of Conservation Minister, Nick Smith, lunching with the Chamber of Commerce from 1pm at Orca. This evening from 5pm, National’s Taranaki King Country candidate will be at Raglan Club.
Tomorrow (23rd) morning she and her Green, Labour and Mana colleagues will be at the Town Hall from 10.30 , giving 5 minute speeches, then answering your questions.
This weekend is your chance to put your questions and judge by the answers or evasions which party you prefer. The Chamber of Commerce has asked that you email your questions to Dave Currie at:chair@raglanchamber.co.nz for the Minister of Conservation, Housing & Building and Construction. He has responsibility for Karioi and shares in decisions on the fate of the dolphins, as well as being answerable for the cost and quality of housing.
Barbara Kuriger has replaced Shane Ardern as the National candidate for Taranaki King Country. Like Shane, she is a dairy farmer based in the south of the constituency. As it’s the 10th safest National seat, it’s very like she’ll be elected, but, like all the other candidates, her main emphasis is the party vote, which determines which parties will govern. Raglan Club has offered all the parties an evening to meet their members; an evening with Green candidate, Robert Moore, is arranged for Wednesday 10 September.
The format on Saturday from 10.30am in the Town Hall will be similar to previous elections. However, this year it’s being arranged jointly by the Residents and Ratepayers and Whaingaroa Environmental Defence. It’s also only having the 4 main candidates, limiting them to 5 minute speeches, so there’ll be plenty of time for you to press for full answers to your questions. Before putting questions you might want to check what policies have already been published. The website http://www.interest.co.nz/news/election-2014-policies has links to the published policies.
The main press coverage so far has focussed on personal allegations. In the longer term policies will be much more important. Find out about them this weekend!