Candidates meet in Stratford to debate issues and vie for votes

The candidates pictured with some of the members of the Stratford District Youth Council after the event.

The Abortion Legislation Act 2020 was a hot topic for candidates and audience members at last week's Meet the Candidates evening in Stratford.

The event, organised by Stratford District Youth Council and Stratford Positive Ageing Group was emceed and moderated by Stratford District mayor Neil Volzke who began by telling the audience heckling was allowed, as long as it was respectful.

About 120 people were at the meeting with more watching from the comfort of home as the event was livestreamed on the Stratford District Youth Council Facebook page. Youth council co-chair Connor Giblin said there were 15 to 25 people watching during the evening, with more expected to watch later as well.

Of the seven candidates for the Whanganui electorate, six were in attendance on the night. They were Alan Clay (Green), Harete Hipango (National), Hillary Kieft (Independent), Steph Lewis (Labour), Jonathan Marshall (New Conservative) and Heather Marion Smith (Social Credit). The seventh candidate, Charlotte Weber, had given her apologies as she could not make the meeting.

The six Whanganui candidates at the meeting were joined by TOP representative Dan Thurston Crow who was campaigning for the party vote for TOP. Dan is a candidate himself for TOP in the New Plymouth electorate.

Quickfire questions put to each of the candidates included asking their opinions on the two upcoming referendums on the End of Life Choice Bill and legalisation of cannabis.

Independent candidate Hillary Kieft and New Conservative candidate Jonathan Marshall both said they would be a No vote to both topics, while Green Party candidate Alan Clay said he was a Yes vote for both. Labour's Steph Marshall admitted to being undecided on the cannabis referendum, saying while she understood the arguments in favour of it, as the daughter of a former prison officer, she had also seen the damage the drug could do. Social Credit's Heather Marion Smith said while she was likely to vote Yes for cannabis, she did have reservations.

"I will be inclined to vote for it, but by golly if it gets out of hand I'll be down at Parliament getting something done about it."

She would be voting against the End of Life Choice Bill, she said.

National's Harete Hipango was also opposed to the End of Life Choice Bill "as it is drafted", she said.

"My concern is we are devaluing and debasing what life is in this country."

Independent candidate Hillary Kieft devoted much of her time at the podium to talking about abortion.

Moral issues continued to dominate when it came to time for questions from the floor, with one audience member asking candidates to indicate, by raising their hand, if they were opposed to the Abortion Legislation Act 2020 which was passed earlier this year.

Harete Hipango, Hillary Kieft, Jonathan Marshall and Heather Marion Smith raised their hands.

Further questions from the floor also touched on the topic of abortion, while independent candidate Hillary Kieft also devoted much of her speech to the night to the topic, holding up a plastic model of an unborn foetus at one point.

Dan Thurston Crow (TOP) said while it was honourable of other candidates to talk about the concept of womb to tomb, and to speak in favour of the unborn, it was important to ensure society didn't abandon mothers after a baby was born. He said if society expected women to have a baby, and to refuse them an abortion, then it was important the mental wellbeing of the mother was also cared for.

Poverty was another issue that needed tackling to ensure babies weren't being born into a cycle of poverty as well, Dan said.

A video of the event can be found on the Stratford District Youth Council Facebook page.

Voters are now able to vote, with 450 advance voting places open around the country for the election and referendums.

The last day of the voting period is October 17.

The election results will be made known as they come through on the night of October 17. But the initial results of the end of life choice and the cannabis referendum won't be known until October 30 – and the full results will not be confirmed until November 6.

Where to vote:
Stratford War Memorial Centre (advanced and election day voting):
October 5-9 10am-6pm, October 10 10am-4pm, October 12-15 10am-6pm, October 16 10am-4pm, October 17 9am-7pm
Stratford High School (advanced and election day voting):
October 10 10am-4pm, October 17 9am-7pm
Midhirst Primary School Library (advanced and election day voting):
October 10 9am-4pm, October 17 9am-7pm
Eltham All Saints Church Hall (advanced and election day voting):
October 5-9 10am-6pm, October 10 10am-4pm, October 12-15 10am-6pm, October 16 10am-4pm, October 17 9am-7pm
Inglewood Public Library (advanced voting only):
October 12-13 9am-4pm, October 14 11am-6pm, October 15-16 9am-4pm
Pukengahu Hall: October 17 9am-7pm
Normanby Primary School: October 17 9am-7pm
Matapu Hall: October 17 9am-7pm
Kaponga School: October 17 9am-7pm
Ngaere School: October 17 9am-7pm
Rawhitiroa School: October 17 9am-7pm