Green MP Teanau Tuiono: Local election candidates need to declare their affiliations

Green MP Teanau Tuiono (right) with Green candidates for Palmerston North City Council Brent Barrett and Kaydee Zabelin. Photo / Supplied

OPINION:

Local elections are upon us and jeez aren't those billboards getting busy out there.

With so many of them, it is crucial we have line of sight to candidates' values and what their political links are. Do they prefer, or are they affiliated to, a political party? Do they have business interests that might influence their behaviour on council? Are they connected to any conspiracy theory movements?

Imagine going into a supermarket and all the labels have been taken off the tins - you think you're getting plums but end up with baked beans instead - that dessert you were planning is sure going to taste interesting.

Here in Aotearoa some candidates are clearly independent in name only and some leave the affiliation box blank, masking any and possibly all of their political preferences. How do we know what we are voting for if they are too busy playing hide and seek with their political preferences?

Flying your political colours high is one way of taking the guesswork out of it all. But in the absence of that transparency is crucial. Knowing about candidates' political preferences and formal links to political parties helps us the voting public make the most informed decision possible. It is public office after all and the public would prefer to know before we vote and not after.

And if candidates are up for that sort of transparency then hopefully they are up for building democratic, participatory and inclusive decision-making processes that empower all people to contribute to shaping the systems that affect them, through community engagement enabled by good evidence, co-design, and adequate resourcing.

What sort of candidates will I be supporting? Glad you asked.

We need candidates who want to help build a better future for our tamariki and mokopuna. That means strong advocates for action to protect and restore our environment so we can all enjoy clean air and water, and that the whenua is healthy.

It also means advocating for a connected, compassionate and equal Aotearoa, free from structural biases and discrimination, while meeting people's basic needs - like warm, dry, and affordable housing.

We also need to get behind candidates who know why supporting Māori aspirations and understanding the importance of Te Tiriti o Waitangi is also good for the environment and our communities.

And finally, we need to have staunch wāhine on our councils. Here in Palmerston North we have three women stepping down this year from the city council, including my friend Renee Dingwall because of health reasons. Getting that balance right around the council table will ensure the decisions being made are as inclusive as possible.

If this city works well for mums then it works well for our tamariki and that is a good thing for all of us.

• Teanau Tuiono is a Green list MP based in Palmerston North.