Emmett, who has cerebral palsy, said he had heard a lot of criticism about the reopened Te Whare o Rehua Sarjeant Gallery but was “most impressed” by its accessibility.
“A lot of people are coming through it, so let’s hope that continues, given the amount of money that was spent on it.”
He said he intended to meet with disability support services throughout the district to make sure all opinions and concerns could be heard.
“If there’s anything I haven’t considered, they can let me know.”
He is a part of the congregation at Gonville’s St Peter’s Church, and is a member of Whanganui board gamer and Lego groups.
Previously, he was a member of the Toastmasters Whanganui Club.
Emmett said he did not have the resources to run a wide-ranging campaign “with billboards of me everywhere” but he was keen to meet as many people as possible during his campaign.
“I’m getting some flyers produced, then I’ll be down at the Whanganui River Markets.
“Graeme [Rosewarne] of Mobility Equipment has offered to pay for that.”
He said he was aware that councils and elected members had to deal with constraints, including “bureaucratic red tape”.
“I remember [Nelson mayor] Nick Smith saying that when people got into public office, whether it’s council or government, they’ll find there’s a big difference between what they want to do and what they can actually do.
“I’m here to raise awareness because, often, disability issues are an afterthought. I want to change that if I can.”
Voting in this year’s local election begins on September 9 and closes at noon on election day, October 11.
Mike Tweed is a multimedia journalist at the Whanganui Chronicle. Since starting in March 2020, he has dabbled in everything from sport to music. At present his focus is local government, primarily the Whanganui District Council.
