BPW nabs candidates

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

Gisborne Business and Professional Women (BPW) is hosting a meet the candidates evening on September 5.

Believed to be the first candidates event announced so far for Gisborne, it is designed to allow each of the political candidates to address those at the dinner meeting for five minutes, with a follow-up time for questions.

BPW president Fiona Evans said the club was delighted by the response from political candidates

agreeing to be involved in the evening.

“BPW have invited both general electorate candidates as well as those from the Māori seats, believing that all those who win a seat to represent this area, regardless of their electorate, will have an impact on the whole community.

“Dinner will follow the political presentations and questions in The Shark Bar in the Tatapouri Fishing Club, allowing the possibility for further opportunity to socialise with the candidates.

“Speakers from most of the political parties have accepted the invitation to speak in the evening.

“It is great to have such a broad spectrum of political candidates from both general seats and the Māori electorate. This makes the evening an ideal way for people to see all those who are putting their names forward to represent this region in the election in a social and comfortable setting without any pressure,” she said.

“Everyone is welcome to the evening, in fact the more the better.”

The cost is $40, which includes dinner.

Bookings are essential and can be made no later than August 30 by emailing bpwgisborne@gmail.com

Candidates who have confirmed they will be attending are Dana Kirkpatrick (National), Tāmati Coffey (Labour), Meka Whaitiri (Te Pāti Māori), Jordan Walker (Green Party) and Chris Robinson (Democracy NZ). Michael How of the Act party has put in his apologies.