Local Focus: Craig Bowyer on Candidate Camera

Watch the full Local Focus interview for Bowyer's views on the region's biggest issues, and our less important quickfire questions.

Mayoral candidate Craig Bowyer says "it's time for change on council" in Masterton.

"There are some huge divisions in council and I believe I can bring people together."

Bowyer, who said if running for central government he would probably go with National, said his first priority would be finalising decisions around Masterton's much-contested community events centre, which he'd like to see where the town hall currently stands.

"Six years now, we've been talking, talking, talking, and still nothing is done," he said.

"Reuse and redo everything," Bowyer says. He believes the existing town hall site would be the best site in terms of managing climate change, citing solar power and the replanting of trees in the same agenda.

On Three Waters, Bowyer believes Masterton has invested sufficiently in the local water systems, but co-governance should have been borne in mind.

"If we had greater involvement from iwi and Māori in general, then probably we wouldn't have seen a lot of these water rights sold to overseas companies."