Whangārei's Harry Peterson and Daniel Watts set up the meeting to bring local democracy to life.
Topics candidates spoke on included climate change, challenges facing the North and the four-laning of State Highway 1 between Whangārei and Marsden Pt.
Climate change headed the issues addressed by candidates, just after the release of the Climate Change Commission's first report.
Christie said climate change could be an economic driver for Northland and New Zealand.
The gas and oil sector might be affected, but solar and wind power would grow.
"We need a discussion. It is real. We must play our part for the world," Christie said.
Archer said actions recommended in the report in dealing with climate change would carry financial and economic costs.
"What is the future of the motor vehicle? If the motor vehicle is redundant, there will be fewer on the road and that changes dynamics completely. Do we need a new road to Marsden Pt?" Archer said.
New Zealand was hanging its hat on domestic travel in the wake of Covid-19.
''If the use of motor vehicles changes, how will that affect tourism? There will be winners and losers".
Tana Hoff-Nielsen said rising sea levels resulting from climate change affected everybody. "What do we do with our rivers, our people, our marae? How do they cope into the future?"
Tana Hoff-Nielsen said rewilding Northland's mangroves, seagrass and kelp would help address climate change's impacts.
Toner said NRC and Northland Inc should further inform, educate and financially support those taking action to address climate change. The organisations could work toward distributing central Government funds for this purpose.
She said Northland Inc – an NRC council-controlled organisation (CCO) - should set up a climate adaptation team to provide this support.
Bell said Northlanders should get involved in making submissions now on the commission's newly released draft report. (Public consultation closes on March 14).
Northlanders needed to get involved in the process of New Zealand dealing with climate change. Every Northland individual, business and council should be making submissions.
"We need our voice," Bell said.
Douglas said Northlanders needed to act now to address climate change.
"Don't wait for legislation, we've got to do things now. If we start now, we will be ahead of the game. We need to do that with our own local hat on. We have an amazing place."
Resource Management Act changes would be taking place alongside actions to address climate change.
Dimery said the NRC said, when putting together its 2018-2028 long-term plan three years ago, it would work towards dealing with the problems it was facing as a result of climate change.
Some good work had been done, but there was a long way to go.
"We need to start making that plan into action," Dimery said.
The successful candidate will join Jack Craw as one of two councillors in the Whangārei urban constituency, NRC's second biggest.
The chance to become NRC's newest councillor comes in a byelection forced when a seat in the constituency was left vacant by the resignation of councillor John Bain.
Almost 30,000 electors among the Whangārei urban constituency's 44,300 people can vote for their preferred would-be councillor.
Votes - postal or delivered in person to NRC - must be in before noon on Wednesday, February 17.
Preliminary byelection results will be known by Friday, February 19, and accessible on the council's website www.nrc.govt.nz/by-election. The successful candidate will be declared officially the same day.
Candidates must spend no more than $30,000 on their election campaigns. They must file election expenses returns to the Electoral Office by April 15 this year.
