A rough sleeper in Hawera has unwittingly found himself front and centre of the South Taranaki mayoralty race.
Mayoral aspirant Craig Baylis says if he has his way the man known to most locals simply as Derek, will have to go.
In turn, Mr Baylis has been accused of making cheap political capital out of one of the town's most vulnerable residents.
RNZ Taranaki-Whanganui reporter Robin Martin has been in Hawera.
