Let's Go, Taupō' – an affiliation of council hopefuls who plan to stand in October's local body elections – have moved early into campaign mode.
About 50 people attended a public meeting at the Acacia Bay Community Hall on Tuesday (June 17) to listen to three of the group, and possibly a fourth, outline their backgrounds and reasons for standing.
The Candidates
Hope Woodward, who will contest the Mangakino-Pouakani Ward, was joined by Rebecca Stafford and Ann Tweedie, while wildcard Peter Wilding added his name late to the list of speakers, noting during question time that he wasn't officially in the group but would be if they'd have him.
Their speeches followed one by incumbent Taupō District councillor Duncan Campbell with the evening also punctuated somewhat inexplicably by chair Tristan Baynham playing two excerpts of a woman submitting to a long-term plan meeting in Hutt City.
Council Criticism
She seemed to accuse that council of being part of a globalist agenda that would lead to debt bondage through ever increasing rates and urged it to stop spending money on any climate change reduction measures, cease moves to encourage cycling, end traffic calming measures, cut staff numbers and reduce the excessive use of road cones.
These themes were not particularly picked up by the four speakers though council staff numbers came in for a drubbing and a question from the floor at the end of the night seeking to clarify whether the candidates-to-be were anti-vax, anti-fluoride and climate change sceptics wasn't clearly answered.
